Amid contract changes, injured ace Garrett Crochet hopes reverse engineer a playoff return to Red Sox - The Boston Globe

What the report says

The Boston Globe reported that Red Sox lefthander Garrett Crochet, sidelined since April 25, is trying to map out whether he can return in time for a possible postseason run. Crochet told the Globe he has asked the club’s training staff to work backward from that goal, while acknowledging the risk of setting a deadline after a previous attempt to target a return was followed by a setback.

Crochet’s injury began as what he described as fatigue and what the team called shoulder inflammation, but the recovery has stretched into a three-month issue involving his left shoulder capsule and related lat trouble. The Globe reported he had been using weighted plyometric balls as an early step toward throwing, but Boston stopped even that work in early July so he could focus on strengthening his rotator cuff. Clearance to throw is not considered imminent, and Crochet said there are no guarantees he pitches again this season.

A return as a starter would require a long buildup. According to the Globe, Crochet would likely need about six weeks, possibly more, after being cleared to throw, similar to a spring training progression. That timeline makes October a more realistic target than the regular season, if the Red Sox qualify, but it also raises questions about whether he would need game action first and whether he could be effective after a layoff of roughly five months.

The injury also has contract implications. The Globe reported Crochet’s six-year, $170 million deal includes a provision tied to 120 straight injured-list days for an arm problem. If he reaches that mark on Aug. 23, his post-2030 opt-out would be removed and Boston would receive a $15 million team option for 2032.