The Boston Red Sox held their workout at Yankee Stadium on Monday afternoon with Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees less than 24 hours away. The rotation is set. The lineup is coming into focus. Most of the roster decisions have been made.
One remains open. Garrett Crochet stood in front of reporters at the stadium and made clear where he stands.
The left-hander has spent five months working his way back from a shoulder injury. He has thrown bullpen sessions, faced hitters in controlled settings, and completed a live batting practice outing in Fort Myers over the weekend. Now he is in the Bronx, and he believes he has done everything required to earn a spot.
Crochet Says He Is Ready
Crochet did not leave room for interpretation. He told reporters he has pushed through every step of the rehab process to reach this point, and the only thing left is the decision itself.
“I guess now it’s just a matter of if anybody agrees with me,” Crochet said.
Manager Chad Tracy has not committed either way. He said Monday that the decision will come Tuesday before the roster is submitted, and that the team would continue evaluating Crochet daily. Tracy acknowledged that Crochet has put in the work but made clear the Red Sox are weighing the risk of jumping from controlled settings to playoff baseball in the Bronx.
What It Would Mean for the Bullpen
The Red Sox lost Tyron Guerrero to a lat strain over the weekend, removing one of the few arms Tracy trusted in high-leverage spots. Justin Slaten is out for the year. Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock are two proven late-inning options.
Adding Crochet would give Tracy a left-handed weapon he does not currently have in the high-leverage mix. The Yankees carry left-handed bats like Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger who could be matchup targets in the middle innings. Even a single appearance from Crochet could change the shape of a close game.
The risk is real. Five months without game action is a long time. But Crochet has made his case as clearly as he can. The rest is up to the Red Sox.
Final Word for the Red Sox
Garrett Crochet has followed every step of the plan the Red Sox laid out for him. He threw bullpens, faced hitters. He got on a plane to New York. Now he is at Yankee Stadium waiting to find out if the team trusts what he has shown them.
His words Monday left nothing unclear. He believes he is ready. The decision belongs to someone else.
Tuesday will answer it.
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