Boston Red Sox Starting Pitcher Garrett Crochet Makes History

Justin Rimpi

Let me paint you a picture: It’s Wednesday night in Toronto, the Red Sox are 87-71 and desperately clinging to playoff hopes, and their $8 million investment from last winter’s shopping spree is about to pay massive dividends. Enter Garrett Crochet, the lanky lefty who’s been absolutely filthy all season long.

Crochet Serves Up a Masterpiece Against Toronto

The former White Sox ace didn’t just pitch Wednesday night – he put on an absolute clinic. Eight shutout innings. Six strikeouts. Zero walks. Three measly hits allowed. It was the kind of performance that makes you remember why Craig Breslow traded four prospects to get this guy.

And here’s the kicker: Crochet did all this while the Blue Jays were supposedly having the best season in the American League. Toronto came into the game with the AL’s best record, leading the Yankees by a game in the East. Now? They’re in a free fall, having lost six of seven games while scoring one run or fewer in all six losses. That’s not a slump – that’s a straight-up nosedive.

The Red Sox jumped on Max Scherzer early, which honestly felt like watching your little brother beat up the neighborhood bully. Three runs in the first inning off five consecutive hits had the three-time Cy Young winner looking more like a batting practice pitcher than a Hall of Fame lock.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Crochet Is Elite

Here’s what should have every Red Sox fan giddy with excitement: Crochet now leads the majors with 255 strikeouts. Not bad for a guy who was supposed to be a “complementary piece” when Boston traded for him. The man is 18-5 on the season and riding a five-game winning streak that couldn’t have come at a better time.

But let’s talk about the elephant in the room – this performance came in his final start of the regular season. That is either the best possible timing or the most nerve-wracking way to end things, depending on how your anxiety handles these situations.

Red Sox Offense Shows Up When It Matters

While Crochet was busy making Toronto hitters look like they’d never seen a baseball before, his teammates weren’t exactly sitting on their hands. Masataka Yoshida launched his third homer of the season – yeah, third – but hey, timing is everything in baseball. Carlos Narváez added some insurance with a three-run bomb in the eighth that basically put this game to bed.

Trevor Story had three hits because apparently he decided to remember how to play baseball at exactly the right moment. And in what might be the most satisfying way to end a game, Wilyer Abreu threw out the slow-footed Alejandro Kirk at first base on a sharp grounder to right field. Nothing says “we’re going to the playoffs” like gunning down a catcher trying to leg out an infield single.

The Playoff Picture Gets Clearer

Here is where things get really interesting: The Red Sox need just the right combination of wins and Astros losses, equaling two to clinch their first playoff berth since 2021. Houston hadn’t even taken the field by the time Crochet was done dealing, which means Boston could theoretically clinch before they even play Thursday’s finale.

That is the kind of scenario that gives managers gray hair and fans heart palpitations, but it’s also exactly where you want to be with less than a week left in the regular season.

What This Means Moving Forward

The Blue Jays’ collapse has been spectacular to watch if you’re not a Toronto fan. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. getting ejected for arguing a strikeout in the seventh inning basically summed up their entire September – frustrated, desperate, and completely out of sync.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox have won four of their last five games with their ace dealing like this. That is the kind of momentum that can carry a team deep into October, especially when your pitcher is striking out batters at a historic pace.

Crochet’s performance Wednesday night wasn’t just about getting the Red Sox closer to the playoffs – it was about showing that when the lights are brightest and the stakes are highest, Boston’s newest ace can absolutely deliver. And if that doesn’t get you excited about October baseball, you might want to check your pulse.

Justin has been a sportswriter for nearly a decade. He has previously written for 247 Sports an Sports Illustrated.

More Great Content