Garrett Crochet throws off mound in hopes of 2026 Red Sox return

BALTIMORE — Garrett Crochet's latest attempt to salvage his 2026 season reached another milestone Friday, Sept. 4, as he threw 16 pitches off the mound in his first bullpen session in nearly three months.

Crochet, the 2025 AL Cy Young Award runner-up, has not pitched since April 25, when he threw six scoreless innings at Baltimore, then was shelved with shoulder soreness. In his first attempt to return, Crochet progressed to throwing a mound session in May, then was shut down again shortly thereafter.

Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy acknowledged the window is tight for Crochet to return in any form this season, with barely three weeks left in the regular season. But he is not ruling it out.

"The fact he got on the mound today and threw is a really good sign," says Tracy Friday at Camden Yards. "How he comes in tomorrow will be an important piece of it. Does he feel any lingering effects that will slow him down or will he feel really good and can proceed?

"But I think the fact that, with all the work he put in, the fact he got off the mound and threw a bullpen today is…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/