How long is Garrett Crochet out? Latest injury updates, return date for Red Sox ace's shoulder inflammation originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Garrett Crochet was one of the league's best pitchers in 2025, landing in second place in American League Cy Young Voting. In 2026, however, Crochet had his fair share of struggles. Now, he's headed to the injured list with left shoulder inflammation, per the Boston Globe's Tim Healey.
Through 30 innings in 2026, Crochet pitched to a 6.30 ERA, with six shutout innings against Baltimore on Saturday showing signs of a turnaround. It's clear that Crochet has not quite been himself this season, though. After an 11-run outing against the Minnesota Twins on April 13, Crochet was candid about his pitching concerns.
"My command, as a whole, has been spotty," Crochet told reporters. "I've gotten away with it a little this early in the year, but tonight they made me pay. It was weak contact, hard contact, walks, hit by pitch — a little bit of everything."
Crochet's fastball velocity has been down by 0.7 mph this season per Baseball Savant, but this is more likely a sign that Crochet is not in midseason form just yet. Nonetheless, this level of advanced pitching can often result in shoulder concerns.
Here's what to know about Crochet's injury timeline and when he might return in Boston.
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Crochet was placed on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in the southpaw's throwing shoulder, retroactive to April 26. This means that the Red Sox ace can return as early as May 11.
Whether he will return by May 11 remains to be seen, with the timetable on shoulder inflammation ranging from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the severity of the inflammation.
Walker Buehler had a similar injury for the Red Sox last May, right shoulder bursitis specifically, and only missed 18 days with this injury.
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Crochet is eligible to return as soon as May 11, but the timetable is still currently unknown, with the injury being freshly announced.
The timetable can be all over the place for shoulder inflammation, so it may be months before Crochet returns.
Crochet joins Sonny Gray as the second Red Sox starter to be added to the IL in the past 10 days.
In response, Nate Eaton has been recalled from Triple-A. As for who will take Crochet's spot in the Red Sox rotation, there has not been a name officially announced. That being said, top prospect Jake Bennett was scratched from his start in Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday per Tommy Cassell and may be a prime candidate for a call-up.
Shoulder inflammation is a condition where tissues or tendons in the shoulder become swollen and irritated. According to the Cleveland Clinic, one of the biggest risk factors for shoulder inflammation is playing "a sport that requires you to do repetitive motions with your shoulder (like throwing, rowing or swinging a bat, club or racket)."
If Crochet has shoulder bursitis, the subset that Buehler had, there are three forms that could take place.
Chronic shoulder bursitis is the most common version, identified by repeated episodes of pain and inflammation stemming from overuse. This is likely to be the version that takes place for most MLB pitchers who use their arms in extreme and repeated manners.
Shoulder inflammation can also be tendonitis or a minor strain, and is not always a case of shoulder bursitis.
The recovery timeline varies drastically for an injury like this, with several variations. Should all of Crochet's recovery go swimmingly, it's likely a two-week absence for the Red Sox ace, who can return on May 11. In its worst form, Crochet could be out up to eight weeks or even months.