RADIO
Garrett Crochet Could be Ready for First Round of Playoffs
The Boston Globe's Tim Healey reports that Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) is tracking towards being ready for the wild-card round of the postseason in early October. Although Crochet threw a 16-pitch bullpen session last Friday, he is unlikely to pitch in either the majors or minors before the playoffs begin. The 27-year-old southpaw has been sidelined for over three months due to left-shoulder and lat issues, with his shoulder being the more troublesome injury in 2026. Crochet should begin facing live hitters soon, but the BoSox are not going to rush him back and hope to have him available as a reliever out of the bullpen if they make the postseason. After finishing second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025 in his first year in Beantown, Crochet only managed to make six starts for fantasy managers in 2026 while recording a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts across his 30 innings pitched. It is a disappointing end to an injury-plagued season, with fantasy managers now in the clear to drop Crochet in redraft leagues.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Garrett Crochet Throws Bullpen on Friday
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) threw a bullpen session of 16 pitches on Friday, marking the first time he threw off a mound in over three months, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. Crochet opened the year as Boston's ace after finishing second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025, but he has made just six starts in 2026 due to inflammation in his left shoulder. He should throw another side session on Tuesday of next week, but because of where we are on the calendar, the talented southpaw does not have time to stretch back out as a starter to close out the season. Crochet was a reliever in college at the University of Tennessee and in his first few seasons with the Chicago White Sox before becoming a starter in 2024, so a role out of the bullpen will not be unfamiliar to him. "The fact that he got on the mound today and threw is a really, really good sign," said interim manager Chad Tracy. It is good news that the 27-year-old could still help the team potentially get into the playoffs, but for fantasy purposes, Crochet does not have much value left in 2026. Before injuring his shoulder early this year, the two-time All-Star had a bloated 6.30 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP and 37:11 K:BB in 30 innings.
Source: MLB.com - Ian Browne
Source: MLB.com - Ian Browne
Is Sonny Gray's Second-Half Slide a Cause for Concern?
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray has had an excellent season overall in 2026, recording a 16-4 record with a 2.82 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 128 strikeouts across 143 2/3 innings (25 starts). However, the 36-year-old's numbers have fallen off slightly in the second half of the season. Across 48 innings since the All-Star break, Gray has pitched to a 3.38 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while posting a middling 21.1% strikeout rate. Gray has allowed four earned runs or more in three out of his last seven starts after allowing four earned runs just once in his first 18 outings of the year. The veteran right-hander is no longer a high-end source of strikeouts for fantasy managers, and his elite ERA is largely due to his 83.7% strand rate, which is well above his career mark of 73.5%. With his overall numbers still excellent, fantasy managers may have a chance to sell high on Gray ahead of the stretch run.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Garrett Crochet Likely to Throw a Bullpen This Weekend
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder, lat) will likely throw a bullpen session this weekend, interim manager Chad Tracy told Marcos Grunfeld of ElEmergente.com. Crochet is ready to take the next step in his throwing program after playing catch off the mound at Fenway Park on Tuesday. With the Red Sox still in the hunt for a playoff spot in September, they have not shut down Crochet, who has been sidelined since late May with shoulder and lat issues. Once the 27-year-old southpaw returns -- he will likely need a short minor-league rehab assignment first -- he is expected to be used in a relief role, which will pretty much kill what little remaining fantasy value he has left. Crochet finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025 in his first year in Beantown after going 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 255:46 K:BB in 32 starts, but he has managed to start only six games in his second year with the BoSox. In those six games, he posted a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37:11 K:BB in 30 innings. Crochet is still rostered in 77% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: ElEmergente.com - Marcos Grunfeld
Source: ElEmergente.com - Marcos Grunfeld
Sonny Gray's Next Start Pushed Back to Saturday
The Boston Red Sox are pushing right-hander Sonny Gray's next start to Saturday in Baltimore against the division-rival Orioles to give him nine days of rest, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. It takes away a potential two-start week for his fantasy managers. Gray is not dealing with anything physically, but the BoSox want to give their ace a little extra breather with the final month of the regular season coming. The 36-year-old veteran has been excellent in 2026 in his first year in Beantown, going 16-4 with a 2.82 ERA (3.54 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with 128 strikeouts and 37 walks in 143 2/3 innings pitched across 25 starts. His 16 wins lead the league. Gray stumbled to end the month of July, allowing nine earned runs in his last two starts of the month against the Toronto Blue Jays and Athletics, but he turned it around in August, going 3-2 with a 2.40 ERA (3.28 FIP) with seven walks and 30 strikeouts in 30 innings over five starts. Saturday will be Gray's first outing against the O's, a team that is middle of the pack in OPS but with the fourth-most strikeouts in the league. Gray should be in all starting fantasy lineups this weekend.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Payton Tolle Dominant Against A's, Strikes Out 14 Batters
Boston Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle was absolutely dominant in Friday night's 13-1 beatdown of the Athletics at Fenway Park and flirted with a perfect game early on. Tolle allowed just one earned run on two hits (one homer) while walking none and fanning a career-high 14 batters in six innings of work to pick up his seventh win of the season and lower his ERA to 3.20. Tolle's perfect-game bid was ended in the fifth inning when he allowed a solo home run to Tyler Soderstrom, but that was all the 23-year-old southpaw would allow. He had his swing-and-miss stuff going, as he generated 24 swings and misses on just 84 pitches. It was Tolle's second straight quality start. Tolle will face the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays for the third time this year in his next scheduled outing. It will be a challenge for him to earn a third straight quality start, as he's allowed seven runs (five earned) with a walk and seven strikeouts in 11 innings against the Rays in his previous two starts against them in 2025. After Friday's strong start, Tolle has a nice 3.20 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP in his 107 innings pitched over 19 starts in his first full year in the majors.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Garrett Crochet Unlikely to be Stretched Out by End of September
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said that left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder, lat) stretching out to six innings by the end of September is "probably not feasible," according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. "If he's healthy and right, and he looks like Garrett Crochet, I think we'd be foolish not to consider that," Tracy said when asked if Crochet could be used as a reliever. The Red Sox plan on getting the 27-year-old two-time All-Star back before the end of the regular season, but it could come as a reliever instead of a starter, which is bad news for fantasy managers who have been stashing him in single-year formats. After finishing second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025 in his first year in Boston, Crochet has made only six starts in 2026 and allowed 23 runs (21 earned) while walking 11 and striking out 37 in 30 innings pitched. Even if Crochet makes it back as a starter in the final month of the regular season, he won't have much time to help fantasy managers, and he'll have an extremely limited ceiling if he's not stretched all the way out.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Garrett Crochet Resumes Throwing
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said on Tuesday that left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder, lat) has resumed throwing, according to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. Crochet started throwing on flat ground at 50 to 60 feet, but it's still a notable step towards a potential return in the second half of the season. The 27-year-old southpaw has made only six starts in 2026 in his second year with the team, and he's been sidelined since late April with shoulder and lat injuries. The Red Sox are right in the mix for a playoff spot this year, so the team isn't going to shut Crochet down, especially since he's making progress. It's good news for his fantasy managers, but Crochet still has a ways to go and won't be ready to rejoin the big-league starting rotation until sometime in September, most likely. The two-time All-Star struggled in his six starts before landing on the IL, too, posting a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched. Crochet is being stashed in 85% of Yahoo leagues, but he's not going to have much time to contribute if/when he returns in the final month of the regular season.
Source: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
Source: Boston Herald - Mac Cerullo
Ranger Suarez to Start on Sunday
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (groin, illness) will return to the mound for Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. There was some speculation that Suarez's start would be pushed back while he recovers from an illness. He was deemed healthy, so Suarez is back on the mound for the first time since early July. During the first half, Suarez posted a 3.15 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 97/26 K/BB ratio across 91.1 innings of work. He should be rostered and started in just about every fantasy format. The move to start Suarez on Sunday will push Payton Tolle back to Monday's game against the Athletics.
Source: Ian Browne
Source: Ian Browne
Connelly Early Throws Bullpen Session
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Connelly Early (elbow) threw a successful one-inning bullpen session on Friday as he continues to work his way back from left posterior elbow inflammation. He also threw from 120 feet and participated in pitcher fielding drills, making it a busy and productive day. The plan is for the 24-year-old southpaw to throw a two-inning bullpen session sometime next week, followed by a live batting practice session. Once those steps are completed, the Red Sox expect him to begin a short rehab assignment, putting him on track to return well before the end of the regular season. Given this positive outlook, Early is worth holding in fantasy leagues, and if he is available on the waiver wire, he is worth adding before he is activated from the Injured List.
Source: Ian Browne
Source: Ian Browne
Ranger Suarez Could Start on Sunday
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (illness, groin) is an option to take the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Suarez landed on the Injured List on July 9 due to a left groin strain. He has recovered from that, but has held out during their last series due to an illness. According to interim manager Chad Tracy, Suarez is eating less than usual, so the Red Sox want to make sure he's 100 percent healthy before sending him back out on the mound. If Suarez isn't able to pitch on Sunday, Payton Tolle would get the nod versus the Blue Jays. Fantasy managers should check back on Sunday for another update on this situation.
Source: Gabrielle Starr
Source: Gabrielle Starr
Ranger Suarez Won't Come Off the Injured List on Wednesday
Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said that left-hander Ranger Suarez (groin, illness) isn't ready to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Game 2 of the team's doubleheader on Wednesday against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. However, it's more due to an illness than his groin injury. Suarez is nearing his return from a groin injury that initially landed him on the IL on July 9, and with a scheduled day off for the team coming on Friday, it's possible that he could be ready to return and start in Friday's series opener at Fenway Park against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. Rookie left-hander Eduardo Rivera will start Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader as the BoSox look for their 16th straight victory. Suarez has been a must-start fantasy pitcher in all leagues in 2026 in his first year in Beantown, as he has gone 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA (2.61 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 97 strikeouts (career-high 25.8% strikeout rate) and 26 walks in 91 1/3 innings across his 17 starts to earn his second All-Star nod in the last three years.
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
Source: Boston Herald - Gabrielle Starr
No Timetable for Garrett Crochet to Resume Throwing
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder, lat) said on Tuesday that he and the training staff still don't have a timetable for when he will restart his throwing program, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. Crochet was initially placed on the injured list on April 29 with inflammation in his left shoulder, but he felt lat tightness two days later while throwing a one-inning simulated game, and he hasn't thrown a baseball since. "Making a lot of progress in the strength department right now," Crochet said. When asked if there was a chance he might not pitch again this season, the ace said, "It's tough to say." He's now on the 60-day IL after originally hoping his IL stint would last the minimum 15 days. Crochet started throwing weighted plyo balls in mid-June but stopped near the start of July. His shoulder injury is the biggest issue, as he called his lat injury "super minor." In shallow-mixed fantasy leagues, we wouldn't blame any managers for cutting the 27-year-old southpaw, as at this point, it's looking more likely that he won't return until September, if at all. Currently, he's still rostered in 94% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Ranger Suarez Won't Start on Tuesday
Boston Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez (groin) will not return to start against the division-rival Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Instead, rookie left-hander Eduardo Rivera will get the nod for just his fourth big-league appearance and third start. Suarez was expected to come off the 15-day injured list to start on Tuesday, but with rain potentially in the forecast, the BoSox could be holding off as a precaution. If Suarez didn't suffer a setback with a groin strain that has kept him out for the last two weeks, he could make his return on Wednesday. The 30-year-old Venezuelan hurler is having a fine first season in Beantown, going 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA (2.61 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 97 strikeouts and 26 walks in 91 1/3 innings across his 17 starts, which was good enough to earn him his second All-Star nod in the last three seasons. Before landing on the IL, Suarez allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last six starts. UPDATE: The Red Sox want to give Suarez at least one more day after he pushed himself pretty hard over the last few days, per MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Ranger Suarez Set to Return on Tuesday
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (groin) will return from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday to face the Baltimore Orioles, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. The 30-year-old was placed on the IL in early July due to a left groin strain, but the injury appears to have been a minor one. Across 91 1/3 innings (17 starts) this season, Suarez has recorded a 4-3 record with a 3.15 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts. In his first season in Boston, the veteran left-hander owns a career-best 25.8% strikeout rate. Now that he's back in the Red Sox rotation, Suarez profiles as a must-start fantasy pitcher.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
