Roman Anthony has finally begun his rehab assignment and Garrett Crochet has been throwing after three months out of commission. Things are looking up for the Boston Red Sox's young stars.
But the latest injury news on Crochet is less optimistic than the recent Anthony updates. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Crochet is "hopeful" that he'll be able to pitch for the Red Sox again this season but he's unable to put a timetable on it (subscription required).
Crochet specified that he would have to return as a reliever and work in one or two innings at a time. This certainly isn't the update most Sox fans were hoping for given the recent fatigue the rotation has showed, but, given his innings limit, Crochet could be perfect for a strange recurring role — opening for Brayan Bello.
Bello's season has been one of the most confounding stories in baseball this year. The homegrown righty has struggled out of the rotation to the tune of an ugly 10.35 ERA and 2.21 WHIP over 35.2 innings. Since Boston moved him to the bullpen, he's grown into the best reliever in the league with an 0.85 ERA and WHIP over 52.2 frames.
Garrett Crochet may only be able to return to Red Sox in a short role, in which he should open for Brayan Bello
The Red Sox haven't had the best time finding a regular opener for Bello, who deserves a more regular job given his unmatched success in relief. Despite Boston's league-best 2.93 bullpen ERA, its relievers have rarely been able to keep the scoreboard clean in the first inning. Jovani Morán struggled as an opener and Erik Miller had an unearned run cross in his lone start. Alec Gamboa on August 17 finally clocked a scoreless first inning-plus, which will have to happen regularly if the Sox turn to Bello in a bulk role during their rotation cycle.
Crochet understands the responsibility of starting from years of experience and he may be better equipped than his teammates to handle the opener role. If his innings are to be limited upon his return, the Red Sox might as well use him in a role he's somewhat familiar with, especially since none of the Sox's other relievers have thrived there.
A healthy Crochet and Bello would be a deadly combination for opposing hitters — one of the best starters in the game in front of the best reliever, followed by Garrett Whitlock or Aroldis Chapman would make for an unhittable night of pitching from Boston. There's no guarantee Crochet returns at all this season, given his hesitance to put a timeline on his recovery, but if he does, the Red Sox should seriously consider him as a regular opener for Bello in a once-every-five-days role.
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