CHICAGO -- Narratives can be a tricky thing sometimes. The one that had been building in recent days is that the Red Sox went into the All-Star break in decent shape the last three seasons, only to falter significantly down the stretch and miss the postseason. In other words, the team’s recent surge (13-3) should be taken with caution. However, that narrative should come with an asterisk. Or rather an ace. His name is Garrett Crochet. In those 2022-24 seasons that slipped away, the Sox didn’t have Crochet, or anyone like him. Now, they do. And the lefty looks primed to be the front-line pitcher Boston needs to break its stretch of empty Octobers. |
After firing a shutout to beat the Rays in his final start before the break, Crochet was thrust into a big spot on Sunday. His team had lost the first two games of the series to the Cubs at Wrigley Field, scoring a total of just one run in the process. A sweep in Chicago would have drawn comparisons to last year’s first series coming out of the break, when the Red Sox lost three in a row to the eventual World Series champion Dodgers. On seven days of rest, Crochet wasn’t at his best, but he did what an ace does, minimizing the damage while giving up eight hits but just one run over six innings and 100 pitches. “It's huge, obviously,” Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman said of Crochet’s presence. “When you need a stopper, he's a stopper. When you need somebody to keep it going, he keeps it going. When you need someone to set the tone and be the ace of the staff, that’s what he’s done. He's delivered time and time again all year long and we feel very, very confident every time he takes the hill that we have a really good chance to win.” |
At this time a year ago -- his first season as a starting pitcher with the floundering White Sox -- Crochet was on a pitch count for the rest of the season. He wound up pitching 146 innings. After Sunday’s performance, Crochet was up to an MLB-leading 135 1/3 innings with 61 games left in the season. While there can be caution in this day and age regarding the buildup of innings for a starter from one season to the next, Crochet feels he will be a full-go the rest of the way. “Well, last year I jumped like 130 [innings from 2023],” said Crochet. “I'm not saying I have to jump that again. I think that that would be impossible. But I think I’ve really set myself up for the season, to go out there with no leash necessary. I've been feeling really good throughout the season. And the five days in between my starts, I really feel like I'm prepared and doing a lot to get my body in the right position to have success, and to continue to get length throughout the year.” Built like a tank, Crochet is in his prime at 26 years old, and with a legitimate chance to win the American League’s Cy Young Award. He is tied with reigning winner Tarik Skubal for the AL ERA lead (2.19) and he leads the league in strikeouts (165). With an 11-4 record, Crochet in play to win the Triple Crown for pitchers. |
With financial security through 2031, Crochet says his favorite thing about his statistics is how they position his team to play baseball in October. “I was in a position like this in ’21 [with the White Sox],” Crochet said. “So I wouldn't say it’s new to me. But it's always nice to be playing meaningful baseball. This time of year, it's time to grind.” The Red Sox are confident their late-season stretch run will be much smoother this time around with Crochet pitching every five or six days. “Having that guy on our side every five days, [we had a] two-game losing streak, and he comes in and goes 100 pitches, six innings and gave us a chance to win,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “That’s why we traded for him, and that's why we paid him the big bucks.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
This season has been a tough go in every way for Red Sox righty Tanner Houck. After going 0-3 with an 8.04 ERA in nine starts, the righty was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right pronator strain. Just as he completed his Minor League rehab assignment prior to the All-Star break, Houck suffered a recurrence of his injury. He is undergoing tests in Boston to determine why the discomfort has returned. At this point, it’s hard to imagine Houck pitching for the Red Sox before September. His best path at returning this season could be as a reliever. The uncertainty surrounding Houck has only increased chief baseball officer Craig Breslow’s need to acquire more starting pitching before the July 31 Trade Deadline. |
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KERSHAW, OHTANI ON MOUND AT FENWAY? |
Fenway fans could be in for a treat when the Dodgers come to Boston for a three-game series next weekend. The way the Los Angeles pitchers are currently lined up, Boston College alum Emmet Sheehan, future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw and two-way megastar Shohei Ohtani will be the starting pitchers in that series. The Red Sox are likely to counter with Brayan Bello, Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler, who will be facing his former team for the first time. Mookie Betts will also return to his original home for the second time since he was traded to the Dodgers. Tickets for all Red Sox home games are available here. |
Throughout the season, we are recalling memorable moments from the iconic season the Red Sox had 50 years ago. This week, we look at a big night at the plate from a player best known for his time with the Brewers. Cecil Cooper would go on to become one of the finest all-around hitters in the history of the Brewers. But he was drafted and developed by the Red Sox, the team he played his first 406 games for. In the first game out of the All-Star break in ‘75, Cooper did the heavy lifting when it comes to trying to hit for the cycle, producing a double, triple and homer. But he wound up a single shy. His 3-for-4 performance included two runs and four RBIs as he led the Red Sox to an 8-3 win over the Royals. Per usual, Luis Tiant went the distance for the win. |
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