Red Sox Adjust Garrett Crochet's Spring Training Schedule for Opening Day

Boston's ace will pitch in a minor league game to line up his rotation for the start of the 2026 season.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 3:49pm

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The Boston Red Sox have adjusted their spring training schedule for starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, who was originally slated to start on Sunday but will now pitch in a minor league game on Monday. This move is part of the team's efforts to line up Crochet's rotation for the start of the 2026 MLB season, where he is expected to be the Opening Day starter.

Why it matters

Crochet is coming off a strong 2025 season where he finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting. As the ace of the Red Sox rotation, it's important for the team to properly manage his workload and schedule during spring training to ensure he's ready to go for the start of the regular season.

The details

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the change was necessary to "line up things" not only for Crochet, but for the entire starting rotation ahead of the season opener against the Cincinnati Reds on March 26. Crochet will now pitch 75 pitches in a Triple-A game on Monday instead of his originally scheduled start on Sunday.

  • Crochet was originally scheduled to start on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
  • Crochet will now pitch in a minor league game on Monday, March 16, 2026.
  • The Red Sox open the 2026 season on March 26, 2026 against the Cincinnati Reds.

The players

Garrett Crochet

The Red Sox's ace starting pitcher who finished second in the 2025 AL Cy Young Award voting.

Alex Cora

The manager of the Boston Red Sox.

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What they’re saying

“Garrett Crochet won't pitch today. He's going to pitch in a minor league game tomorrow instead. Red Sox just lining up the schedule for him on Opening Day and first month of the season, etc”

— Christopher Smith, Reporter (MassLive.com)

“We have to rearrange a few things schedule-wise and kind of like lining up things for not only for him, but the whole group for Cincinnati.”

— Alex Cora, Manager (MassLive.com)

What’s next

Crochet is expected to make his next spring training start on Monday, March 16 in a minor league game as the Red Sox continue to prepare their rotation for Opening Day on March 26.

The takeaway

The Red Sox are taking a proactive approach to managing Garrett Crochet's workload this spring to ensure he is fully ready to be the team's Opening Day starter against the Cincinnati Reds. This level of planning and preparation demonstrates the high expectations for Crochet and the Red Sox rotation heading into the 2026 season.