Garrett Crochet Joins Red Sox Legends After Dominating Yankees
The Boston Red Sox scored only two runs against the New York Yankees on Friday night. But with Garrett Crochet on the mound, that was enough.
After giving up five runs in six innings versus the Yankees last Saturday, Crochet was masterful against them in Friday’s series opener, pitching the Red Sox to a 2-1 victory.
Boston’s left-handed ace didn’t allow a run until the top of the ninth, when Aaron Judge spoiled his shutout bid with a game-tying solo homer over the Green Monster. It was the only blemish on his fabulous performance, which saw him yield just one run on four hits and one walk over 8 1/3 stellar innings.
While Crochet settled for a no-decision against his new rival, the Red Sox prevailed on Carlos Narváez’s walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th.
With seven strikeouts, Crochet joined some impressive company. The 25-year-old southpaw became just the fourth pitcher in franchise history with at least 117 strikeouts through their first 15 starts in a season, joining Roger Clemens (twice), Pedro Martinez (four times) and Chris Sale (three times).
Crochet joining an exclusive club with Sale — the pitcher he’s most often compared to — is fitting. Both are tall, dominant lefties who started their careers with the Chicago White Sox before being traded to Boston.
Since leaving Chicago, Sale’s gone on to win a World Series and a Cy Young award. The Red Sox hope Crochet follows a similar trajectory (minus the injuries) after signing him to a six-year, $170 million extension that runs through 2031.
Clemens, Martinez and Sale were all Cy Young winners, World Series champions and Hall of Fame-caliber pitchers, so that’s the kind of track Crochet is on.
In the meantime, the former first-round draft pick has quickly established himself as one of the top pitchers in baseball and Boston’s best hurler since Sale, who was traded to the Atlanta Braves prior to last season. In addition to the 117 strikeouts, he’s 6-4 with a 2.24 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP over 96 1/3 innings.
Crochet’s Red Sox career is already off to a historically good start. If he keeps it up and stays healthy, he has a chance to be one of the greatest pitchers in team history.