Red Sox’s Garrett Crochet Rises In Latest Starting Pitcher Power Rankings
Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet’s quest for a Cy Young Award received a boost in the latest starting pitcher power rankings. MLB.com’s Andrew Simon pegged Crochet at No. 7 in the majors, up one spot from the previous ranking.
“This is why Boston gave up a prospect haul to acquire Crochet from the White Sox over the offseason,” Simon wrote Thursday. “One year after making a successful transition to the starting rotation in Chicago, the 6-foot-6 lefty with a 2.26 ERA now leads the Majors in innings (115 1/3) and strikeouts (144).
“He ranks third in K’s on each of three different pitch types: four-seam fastballs (57), sweepers (46) and cutters (31),” Simon added.
As for who is sitting ahead for Crochet, here is MLB.com’s top seven:
- Tarik Skubal, Tigers
- Zack Wheeler, Phillies
- Hunter Brown, Astros
- Paul Skenes, Pirates
- Max Fried, Yankees
- Framber Valdez, Astros
Based on that ranking, Crochet is running fifth in the American League among starting pitchers. The 26-year-old southpaw has already set a career high with eight wins and is on pace for personal bests in ERA and WAR.
The last Red Sox pitcher to win the Cy Young Award was right-hander Rick Porcello in 2016.
Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez easily took home the award in 1999 and 2000.
Long-time Red Sox ace Roger Clemens won three Cy Young Awards in Boston (1986, 1987 and 1991).
Right-hander Jim Lonborg was the first Red Sox pitcher to win the Cy Young Award, claiming it in 1967 as part of Boston’s “Impossible Dream.”
Of course, the award is named after former Boston pitcher Cy Young, who earned 192 of his MLB-record 512 wins while pitching in Beantown from 1901 to 1908.
Crochet will return to the mound on Sunday in Washington for the finale of a three-game series with the Nationals.