The Boston Red Sox wrapped up their regular season by taking two of three from the Chicago Cubs and finishing at 87-75, good enough for the American League’s second Wild Card slot.
The Red Sox open their Wild Card playoff series Tuesday against the top AL Wild Card team, the New York Yankees, at Yankee Stadium, in a rematch of the 2025 AL Wild Card series.
On Monday, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy made an announcement on the playoff status of 2025 ace Garrett Crochet, who missed almost the entire 2026 season with shoulder and lat injuries.
Crochet’s Wild Card roster status remains unresolved, Tracy said, adding that he expects a decision Tuesday, before the best-of-three series gets underway at 8 p.m. ET.
Crochet flew to New York with the team after a live batting practice session Saturday in Fort Myers, according to Boston Globe reporter Tim Healey.
Tracy confirmed Monday that the Red Sox have not decided whether Crochet will make the roster, according to Boston Herald reporter Gabrielle Starr. He declined to confirm the left-hander’s availability and called the process day-by-day.
“We will know tomorrow,” Tracy said.
Tracy discussed a possible Crochet activation earlier this month.
“If Garrett Crochet looks like Garrett Crochet and he’s healthy and able to go out there and pitch, and it looks like him? Yeah, that helps any team,” Tracy said, according to MLB.com.
Red Sox Ace Garrett Crochet’s Timeline
Crochet went on the 15-day injured list April 29, retroactive to April 26, with left shoulder inflammation, according to Sports Forecaster‘s transactions log. A late-May comeback attempt ended when a low-grade left lat strain shut him down, and the Red Sox moved him to the 60-day IL on June 5.
He resumed throwing in early August and began bullpens in early September. On Sept. 22, he faced hitters for the first time since May, throwing 16 pitches to Ceddanne Rafaela at 94-96 mph.
“I felt like, with the way that went, I could go get outs,” Crochet said, as quoted by NBC Sports Boston.
While a member of the Chicago White Sox, Crochet underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2022, missing that entire season, as MLB.com reported at the time. Left shoulder inflammation cost him 95 days in 2023.
Crochet’s 120th consecutive day on the IL came Aug. 23, voiding his 2030 opt-out and adding a $15 million club option for 2032 to his six-year, $170 million extension, according to MLB.com.
Crochet’s Potential Red Sox Playoff Role
Crochet, 27, was born in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and studied nuclear engineering at Tennessee. The Chicago White Sox drafted him 11th overall in 2020, and he debuted Sept. 18 of that year.
He won AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2024, then went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA and 255 strikeouts in 2025, finishing second in AL Cy Young voting.
As for his playoff role in 2026, the overall consensus among Red Sox commentators points to relief work, not a start. Options include opening, a two-inning pocket in the middle of a game or a late matchup against left-handed Yankees hitters such as Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger, or as an opener if a bullpen game becomes necessary.
“He’d have plenty of comfort opening if you wanted to go that route,” Tracy said, according to MLB.com’s Ian Browne.
The risks are specific: five months without a game, velocity that climbed from the upper 80s, and a roster spot that would cost another pitcher his place, according to The Athletic‘s Sept. 9 report on Crochet’s status.
Red Sox Announce Garrett Crochet Status Before Yankees Playoff Opener