The common thought is that after a workout, stretching will help the muscles recover a little faster. That isn't so. Let's look at why this is.
When you are stretching, it isn't only your muscles being relaxed. In every stretch, it is the tissues that surround the area which are affected as well. This actually causes minor damage to your muscles and connective tissue. While this may lead to flexibility, it surely means your body needs time to recover.
If you stretch hard enough to increase flexibility, your body is going to take some time to recover. Aggressive stretching puts greater stress on your muscles, which means longer recovery, not shorter.
If stretching feels challenging or uncomfortable, don't worry-it's not a necessity for recovery. Stretching won't expedite the process in which your body heals after a hard workout. Instead, rest, water, and nutrition are prime.
This makes stretching great for gaining flexibility or when you need to maintain your mobility. It will do little good in terms of letting your muscles recover from a workout but will help improve your range of motion over time.