Although he tries his best to put the issue behind him, Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet admitted he wasn’t a fan of the contract clause that cost him a potential opt-out from the organization in The Hub. Still, the 27-year-old ace sent a clear message to his team as he eyes a return during the 2026 MLB season.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy revealed progress in Crochet’s latest injury update, but the ace may still be a ways away from taking the mound at Fenway Park. Having missed more than 120 consecutive days in the 2026 MLB campaign, Crochet also missed out on an intriguing aspect of his contract. A clause kicked in, stripping the ace of his ability to opt out of the deal before the 2030 season. Now, Crochet is guaranteed to stay in Boston through 2031.
Moreover, the Red Sox have a $15 million club option that could keep Crochet under contract through 2032. Instead of becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2030, the starting pitcher will now have to wait until 2032 or 2033 to reach free agency, by which point he will be 33 years old. Obviously, Crochet wasn’t thrilled to learn the clause had kicked in, but he isn’t holding any sort of grudge against the Red Sox, either.
“I’ve long since accepted it,” Crochet said, according to The Boston Globe. “Regardless of that, my goal is to come back and help the team in any way that I can.”
Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox.
Potential bad blood between team and player
While he did come to terms with it, Crochet’s statement underlines he isn’t particularly thrilled about the voided opt-out, which could become a source of tension later when he gets to decide about his future in the Show.
Fortunately for Boston, however, the recently triggered clause guarantees it will be a while before that moment of truth arrives. If the Red Sox can win in the meantime, it would go a long way toward smoothing out any potential differences between Crochet and the brass in the Athens of America.
Crochet expected back in different role
When the Red Sox handed Crochet a six-year, $170 million contract ahead of the 2026 MLB season, it was clear they envisioned him as the franchise’s ace. However, he could only hold that title for six games. Since then, he’s been on the 60-day injured list (IL) and has missed more than 120 games.
There’s still hope he will return this season and ahead of the postseason, but he won’t do so as a starting pitcher. Instead, his rehab process is planned to return as an alternative in the bullpen.
“Now throwing from 90 feet and adding intensity, Crochet is aiming to make it back as a reliever for the Red Sox,” as stated by Theo DeRosa on MLB.com.
Red Sox taking their time
Boston knows better than to toss Crochet right back into the fire, and having him throw most of the pitches after dealing with left shoulder inflammation would be far from a wise decision. Instead, the Red Sox will have him progressively acclimate to action.
If the Red Sox go on a deep playoff run, who knows? Maybe Crochet will resume his ace duties at some stage, but for the time being, he won’t be on the mound during the early innings. Things will stay that way for a while.
First things first, though, Crochet needs to keep making progress in his rehab. Only then can Boston truly decide on its star’s workload and role.
