Boston placed ace Garrett Crochet on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with inflammation in his left shoulder, a significant blow to a team already reeling after firing manager Alex Cora and five coaches following Saturday's game.
Crochet, last year's AL Cy Young Award runner-up, has struggled in 2026. His 6.30 ERA through six starts is a stark contrast to the 2.59 ERA he posted last season, when he went 18-5 and finished as a finalist for the award. Boston acquired him in a trade in December 2024 and locked him up long-term with a six-year, $170 million contract in March 2025.
The 2026 season has been uneven for the left-hander. His worst outing came April 13 in Minnesota, where he surrendered 11 runs in just 1 2/3 innings. Two starts later, however, he looked like the pitcher Boston paid for, striking out seven over six shutout innings in a 17-1 win at Baltimore.
That Baltimore start appears to have been his last for now. The Red Sox made the roster move before a game in Toronto, recalling utilityman Nate Eaton from Triple-A Worcester to fill his spot on the active roster.
Eaton, who played for Kansas City in 2022 and 2023 before appearing in 41 games for Boston last season, was batting .292 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 27 games at Triple-A. He provides versatility on the bench as the team navigates its roster during the transition following Cora's dismissal.
Crochet has been an AL All-Star in each of the past two seasons. The Red Sox have not announced a timeline for his return, and the 15-day IL designation means he cannot rejoin the club until at least mid-May.
