Crochet clarifies lat injury comments, targets post-All-Star break return

BOSTON – Though ace Garrett Crochet believes he is “getting close to throwing” following a shutdown of over two weeks due to an untimely left lat strain, the lefty all but conceded he won’t pitch for the Red Sox until after the All-Star break.

“I wouldn't imagine so,” said Crochet. “What's today, June 12? And I haven’t had a ball in my hand in like two or three weeks. I think it would take a huge leap to say that I'd be back before then, you know. If I hadn't injured my lat as well, then I'd say, yeah, it's possible, but I think that would be really rushing it.”

It has been a tough road for Crochet, who thought he had a relatively routine case of left shoulder inflammation when he went on the 15-day injured list on April 29 (retroactive to April 26). Crochet was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 5.

When Crochet’s shoulder finally turned a corner, he threw an inning of live batting practice at Fenway Park on May 26. There were plans for a subsequent multi-inning BP the following week, but those plans were scrapped due to the low-grade left lat strain that was diagnosed in an MRI.

However, remarks Crochet made to an outlet on Wednesday that suggested his lat strain was a lot worse than originally thought were nothing more than a misunderstanding between the player and the reporter.

“I was talking about my shoulder,” said Crochet. “I think we all, you guys included, from the information that I was receiving and relaying to you, wouldn't have expected the shoulder to keep me out as long as it has.

“When you're dealing with the capsule, it's a little finicky, and it's a very crucial component in overhead throwing, so it was really something that we didn't want to rush, and you add the lat into that. That's kind of what I was referring to. It's just taking longer than expected to bounce back from everything.”

Crochet said the lat setback is exactly what he thought at first. Just an annoyance more than anything else.

“The lat was exactly what we thought it was,” Crochet said. “Within four or five days, all symptoms from the lat were gone. It was then just kind of making sure that the shoulder was in a good spot, so I didn't fall into that pattern again and in three weeks from now, '[Oh, no], my lat again.' That kind of thing.”

When Crochet does start throwing, the training staff will be sure he won’t be overcompensating with other parts of his body (such as the lat) to counter a lack of strength in his shoulder.

“[Before], it was more falling into a compensatory pattern that kind of forced the lat to take over, and then it was kind of just making sure we calm the shoulder back down before resuming throwing, even,” Crochet said. “We expected it to be a shorter window before resuming throwing, and it was just longer than expected.”

The training staff is doing frequent testing to gauge when Crochet’s next throw day will be. He will have to start his progression all over again, starting with playing catch, then advancing to a bullpen session, and then live batting practice before going on a Minor League rehab assignment.

“That’s part of the process, just continuing to reevaluate in the training room, just continue to advance, and make sure that the tests are kind of validating what I'm feeling, what [trainer] Brandon [Henry] is seeing,” said Crochet. “It's a little bit [of] everything. Strength, range of motion, just basic stuff like that.”

Starters Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early have, by and large, done a strong job while Crochet has been out. But the lack of a consistent fifth option in the rotation has made the club feel Crochet’s loss.

Brayan Bello was recently optioned to Triple-A Worcester. Lefty Jake Bennett hopes to give some stability to that spot until Crochet or Bello – who will make his first start for Worcester on Saturday – return.