Red Sox Get Encouraging Signs From Two Injured Stars Ahead of Postseason

Red Sox Get Encouraging Signs From Two Injured Stars Ahead of Postseason originally appeared on NESN.
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Could the Red Sox get some reinforcements ahead of the postseason?

While there’s still work to do for Boston, looking to secure a top-two wild card spot in the American League over the next few days, the team can also officially start planning for the playoffs.

For the most part, the Red Sox know who their key contributors will be in the AL Wild Card round. But on Tuesday, fans got positive updates on two injured stars, both of whom appear to be nearing potential returns.

Here’s the latest on both Garrett Crochet and Curtis Mead as they work toward getting back to full health for the Red Sox.

Red Sox Get Encouraging Signs From Two Injured Stars Ahead of Postseason

Boston’s pitching staff has been terrific in 2026 despite the absence of Crochet, who has been out since April with a lat strain and other shoulder inflammation. But ahead of the postseason, it appears Crochet is ramping up at a perfect time.

Crochet throwing live BP with Ceddanne at Fenway today 👀 pic.twitter.com/Iwv2R14iVk

— NESN (@NESN) September 22, 2026

On Tuesday, Crochet was seen completing a live BP session against Ceddanne Rafaela, throwing 16 pitches that included a velocity in the 94-96 mph range, according to Tyler Milliken.

Garrett Crochet ended up throwing a total of 16 pitches in his first live BP.

Velocity was in the 94-96 range. Few ticks up from the last time he threw a regular bullpen. Currently feeling good and thinks he can get outs.

Some great video from @alexspeier. pic.twitter.com/ZMsMmUXzvU

— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) September 22, 2026

Notably, per Chris Cotillo, Crochet also told reporters that he thinks he could “get outs” with the way his live session went.

On Saturday, new full-time manager Chad Tracy also provided the latest on Crochet and whether he could return, potentially as a reliever for the postseason.

“I think it just depends on how he feels coming out of it, how much volume we give him,” Tracy said, per MLB.com. “So it’s hard to say. I know it’s not a great answer, but it’s just really how it is. How does he feel after each step? So when he does that, how does he feel? And then determine from there. Do we give him more hitters or do we want to put him in a game? It’s hard to say until you know how he feels. 

Meanwhile, infielder Curtis Mead, who was injured in his Red Sox debut in July, also appeared to take a step forward on Tuesday. According to Cotillo, Mead, at one point during Crochet’s session, appeared to be getting ready to step into the batter’s box as well. Over the weekend, Mead began hitting off a tee and playing catch, per MLB.com.

There’s no guarantee that Crochet or Mead will be ready in time for a likely best-of-three playoff series, but either could provide Boston with a huge boost. At their best, Crochet is one of baseball’s best left-handed pitchers, while Mead hit 17 home runs before joining the Red Sox this season.

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