We are now less than a month from the highly anticipated World Baseball Classic, which starts on March 5. Though there will be plenty of representation from the Boston Red Sox in the tournament, one name has chosen to sit this one out ahead of the 2026 MLB season.
That name is Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, who has opted not to join Team United States at this year’s tournament.
According to the report from the Boston Globe, Crochet’s decision to sit the tournament out came down to two factors: his newborn daughter, Colette, who was born in early November, and his heavy workload from last season. Not wanting to push his arm too much before the season, Crochet made the decision out of respect for the Red Sox and the MLB season.
âThere was a point last season when it seemed possible,” Crochet said to the Boston Globe. “But then it just didnât make senseâ¦.When last season ended and then my daughter was born, everything kind of fell into my lapâ
Of course, the U.S. could have used last year’s AL Cy Young runner up, but they’ll be fine without him: Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and Joe Ryan will make up the top three in the rotation.
Crochet Declines Invitation to World Baseball Classic
Crochet is coming off of far and away the heaviest workload of his career. The 26-year-old threw 205.1 innings last season, eclipsing his career high of 146 from the year before when he was a member of the Chicago White Sox. He had only thrown 73 innings total from 2020-2023.
Crochet made the decision to sit the WBC out so that he could remain fresh for a season that holds high expectations for the Red Sox. After they flamed out in the Wild Card round against the New York Yankees lasts season, Crochet and his re-structured rotation mates are looking to carry the team deeper into the Postseason in 2026.
As far as Red Sox players who will be playing in the WBC, Boston has 11 representatives: Wilyer Abreu, Ranger Suárez, and Willson Contreras for Venezuela, Garrett Whitlock for the United States, Masataka Yoshida for Japan, Brayan Bello for the Dominican Republic, Jarren Duran for Mexico, Greg Weissert for Italy, Ceddanne Rafaela for the Netherlands, Nate Eaton for Great Britain, and Jovani Morán for Puerto Rico.
Crochet Leads Star Studded Red Sox Rotation
After losing Lucas Giolito to free agency, Boston made two big moves this offseason to bolster the front of their rotation behind Crochet. First, Boston traded Richard Fitts and prospects to the St. Louis Cardinals for Sonny Gray, who has one-year left on his deal.
Then, Boston signed Philadelphia Phillies star Ranger Suárez to a five-year, $130 million deal. Behind those three, the Sox will have some combination of Bello, Kutter Crawford, Johan Oviedo, and Patrick Sandoval.
Crochet, Suárez, and Bello are all under team contract for at least another four years, while Payton Tolle and Connelly Early are projected to rise up from the minors permanently within the next year or two.
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