Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season, but he’s starting to show some cracks in his armor.
Crochet got rocked in his most recent outing on Tuesday, allowing season highs in hits (nine), runs (seven) and home runs (four) in six innings against the Cleveland Guardians. His four strikeouts also matched his season low.
Bad outings happen, especially at Fenway Park. However, there are reasons for the Red Sox to be concerned about their top pitcher heading into the season’s final weeks.
Crochet has carried Boston’s pitching staff this year, leading the American League with 178 1/3 innings and 715 batters faced. That’s 32 1/3 more innings than his previous career high, and it’s only early September.
Not surprisingly, the 26-year-old southpaw has shown signs of wearing down in the second half. After posting a 2.24 ERA through Aug. 5, his ERA has ballooned to 4.80 over his last five starts. He’s also given up eight homers and has a 4.87 FIP during that stretch.
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With the Red Sox battling for a playoff spot, they haven’t been able to give Crochet extra rest or limit his workload down the stretch. He’s thrown at least six innings in eight of his last nine starts — even on Tuesday when he clearly didn’t have it.
Given Crochet’s injury history and limited track record prior to 2025, there were concerns about his durability coming into the season. Boston’s now seeing why, as he may be running out of gas during the most critical part of the season.
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The two-time All-Star will try to get back on track during the Red Sox’s upcoming road trip, with his next start likely coming on Monday against the Athletics in Sacramento. They play in one of the most hitter-friendly and homer-friendly parks in the Major Leagues, so Crochet will need to bring his A-game if he wants to rebound.
Featured image via Dale Zanine/Imagn Images
