How Red Sox Leader Reacted To Garrett Crochet’s Dominance
Garrett Crochet continued to prove Sunday why he’s the ace of the Boston Red Sox starting rotation.
He also established himself as the team’s stopper.
Crochet once again stopped a Red Sox losing skid in its tracks and did so against his former team, too. The imposing 6-foot-6, 245-pound left-handed pitcher carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning in a 3-1 win over the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field before surrendering a hit. He exited after 96 pitches and gave up just the one hit and one run while walking one and recording a season-high 11 strikeouts.
Crochet’s dominance helped the Red Sox end a disappointing series against the White Sox — Boston lost the first two games of the set — on a good note. Crochet also ended a four-game losing streak very early into the season against the Baltimore Orioles.
The Red Sox have counted on Crochet in moments of need already and they really couldn’t have scripted Sunday’s performance from him any better.
“That’s why he is who he is,” Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story told reporters, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “And we needed it in the worst way. He stepped up and delivered for us. We needed a stopper and that’s what he is.”
Crochet admitted that he was “aware” of his no-hitter from the first inning on. It surely didn’t impact him on the mound, though.
Crochet continued to mow down Chicago’s lineup until the eighth when he gave up a single to left field to Chase Meidroth, who was one of four prospects the Red Sox packaged this winter to acquire Crochet.
It was the best showing from Crochet so far in a Red Sox uniform, and the second time in four starts he worked into the eighth inning. Perhaps, he had a little extra motivation going against the White Sox, who drafted him 11th overall in 2020 before spending five seasons pitching for them.
But Crochet downplayed that narrative all weekend, and from Story’s vantage point, Crochet was just being himself on the mound.
“I’m sure there’s a little something extra there. But he’s always got that in him,” Story said. “He’s always revving on 100. I didn’t really see a difference. He’s always that way.”
