Red Sox Garrett Crochet playoff rotation refers to real, current MLB news, though the situation has shifted significantly from preseason expectations. Crochet, the Red Sox ace whose surname happens to match the craft, opened 2026 as the presumed Opening Day starter and a Cy Young favorite after his standout 2025 season, but has spent most of the 2026 season sidelined by injury. This guide covers the real, up-to-date facts, then pivots to an actual crochet project idea for anyone who landed here looking for the craft.
The Real Situation
Crochet finished the 2025 season as the American League Cy Young runner-up, leading the majors in strikeouts with 255 and posting an 18-5 record with a 2.59 ERA, cementing his status as Boston’s unquestioned ace heading into 2026. He was named the Red Sox’s Opening Day starter for 2026 and was considered one of the favorites to win the AL Cy Young award.
Crochet’s 2026 season did not go as planned. He made just six starts before being placed on the injured list on April 29 with left shoulder inflammation, compiling a 3-3 record with a 6.30 ERA in that limited early stretch. His recovery has been repeatedly delayed: after progressing to facing live hitters in late May, he suffered a setback in the form of a low-grade left lat strain that essentially restarted his rehab process. As of mid-July 2026, Crochet had not yet resumed a full throwing program and was not expected back before the All-Star break, with some reports suggesting a return might not come until late July or even August.
What This Means for a Playoff Rotation
With Crochet sidelined for the vast majority of the season, the Red Sox rotation has instead leaned on Ranger Suarez, Sonny Gray, Brayan Bello, Connelly Early, and Payton Tolle to keep the team competitive. Whether Crochet factors into a playoff rotation at all in 2026 depends entirely on the timing and success of his eventual return, which remained genuinely uncertain as of this writing. Given the uncertainty around his injury, any specific playoff rotation prediction should be treated as speculative rather than settled.
A Crochet Project for Baseball Fans
If you came here actually wanting a crochet project rather than injury news, a team-colored ribbed cap or a striped coaster set both work well as simple fan accessories, using the same basic construction as any standard pattern, just worked in your team’s navy and red color scheme.
How the Rotation Has Adjusted Without Him
Boston’s revamped offseason additions, particularly Ranger Suarez signed as a free agent and Sonny Gray acquired via trade, gave the team enough starting depth to remain competitive despite Crochet’s extended absence. The team entered the second half of the 2026 season still in playoff contention, which speaks to the rotation’s depth beyond its intended ace, even though Crochet’s specific 2026 numbers through his six starts, a 3-3 record with a 6.30 ERA, fell well short of his dominant 2025 form before the injury sidelined him.
Given the uncertainty around his recovery timeline as of mid-July 2026, any confident prediction about Crochet’s specific role in a potential playoff rotation would be premature. His long-term contract with Boston means the team has every incentive to bring him back carefully rather than rush his return, even if it costs some 2026 postseason upside.
No, Crochet is simply the pitcher’s surname. The overlap with the craft name is coincidental, though it does drive plenty of curious searches to craft sites.