Garrett Crochet set for first bullpen session in shoulder and lat recovery

Garrett Crochet is reportedly nearing a meaningful step in his recovery. The Red Sox left-hander, sidelined with shoulder inflammation and a lat strain, is expected to throw his first bullpen session, per MLB Trade Rumors. His return, when it comes, is anticipated in a relief role rather than as a starter.

What happened

Per MLB Trade Rumors, Crochet is set to throw a bullpen session — the first since the shoulder inflammation and lat strain landed him on the shelf. The report does not specify a date for the session or a timeline for his return to game action, only that the club expects him back as a reliever. A bullpen session is a meaningful early marker in a pitcher's recovery arc, but it is a long way from a major-league mound, and nothing in the report frames this as an imminent return to the active roster.

The distinction between a starter's return and a reliever's return matters operationally. A reliever can be stretched back into game shape more quickly than a rotation piece, and the workload demands are different — shorter outings, less need for a full complement of pitches to be game-ready. Whether that framing reflects a permanent role change or simply the most practical path back to the roster is not addressed in the report.

Why it matters

Boston is in the middle of a genuine postseason race, sitting at 77-65 and holding the second Wild Card spot in the American League, +5.0 relative to the cut line. Every functional arm in the bullpen carries weight at this point in the calendar, and a healthy Crochet — even in a relief capacity — would represent a meaningful addition to a pitching staff navigating the final weeks of the regular season.

The timing of this report lands against a backdrop of roster turbulence in Boston. Ceddanne Rafaela was sidelined with a right quad injury earlier this week, with his return timetable listed as uncertain. The Red Sox have been managing their depth carefully, and Crochet's potential return to the bullpen would offer at least one piece of good news on the health front — though the report is careful not to promise one.

It is also worth noting the context in which this update arrives. The Red Sox are currently in Baltimore for a series against the Orioles, a trip that carries its own storyline: Adley Rutschman, who moved from Baltimore to Boston at the trade deadline, returned to Camden Yards and homered twice against his former club. Per OptaSTATS on X, he became the first player in the same season to go deep twice for two different teams against each other. Rutschman had also returned to the Red Sox lineup after an elbow injury earlier in the week, per previous reporting. The club is managing a lot of moving parts at once.

Where the club stands

Boston's 77-65 record places them third in the AL East, 7.5 games back of the division lead. The Wild Card math is what matters most at this stage — at +5.0 relative to the cut line, the Red Sox hold the second Wild Card position and enter Friday on a two-game winning streak.

The upcoming schedule keeps them in Baltimore through the weekend. Friday's probable matchup has Ranger Suarez going for Boston against Shane Baz. Saturday lines up Sonny Gray against Chris Bassitt. Sunday closes the series with Payton Tolle facing Kyle Bradish. Three games in a ballpark where Rutschman just went deep twice — the Orioles will presumably be motivated to return the favor.

With the September roster expansion now in effect under general league rules, clubs can carry up to 28 players on the active roster through the end of the regular season, which gives Boston more flexibility to manage Crochet's return alongside the other moving pieces on their depth chart. None of that flexibility matters, of course, until Crochet actually clears the bullpen session and whatever comes after it.

What we don't know yet

The report does not specify when the bullpen session is scheduled, how Crochet has been feeling leading up to it, or what the club's internal timeline looks like for a return to game action. It does not say whether the reliever role is a permanent designation or a short-term accommodation. It does not address whether he would be stretched back through a rehab assignment — which, under general league rules, can run up to 30 days for pitchers — before rejoining the active roster.

The nature of the injuries themselves — shoulder inflammation and a lat strain — are noted in the report without further diagnostic detail, and no medical source is cited. The report frames the bullpen session as expected, not as something that has already occurred, which means there is still a step between here and there.

What to watch

The bullpen session itself is the next checkpoint. If Crochet gets through it without incident, the conversation shifts to a rehab assignment and, eventually, a return date. If the session raises concerns, the timeline extends and the reliever role question becomes secondary to the health question.

For Boston, the broader watch item is how the pitching staff holds up through the final stretch. The Red Sox are in a position where they can afford to be patient with Crochet's recovery — the Wild Card cushion provides some room — but a functional late-inning left-hander is not a luxury any contender turns down in September. When and whether Crochet can provide that is still, per MLB Trade Rumors, an open question.