Red Sox Ace Garrett Crochet Added A Brand New Pitch This Offseason

Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet’s pitch arsenal will look slightly different in 2026. According to The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey, Crochet has adjusted his changeup and made it more of a splitter.

A new, minor twist for Garrett Crochet this season: His changeup (which he threw just 4% of the time last year) is now more of a splitter, thanks to a new grip he learned at Vanderbilt over the offseason.

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) February 10, 2026

It’s surprising that Crochet felt the need to make any changes to his approach at all this winter, considering how successful he was in 2025.

After being acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the prior offseason, the left-hander made an immediate impact in Boston, posting an 18-5 record across 32 starts. His 2.59 ERA ranked sixth in the majors, while his 1.03 WHIP placed him among the league’s elite.

Crochet led the American League with 255 strikeouts, showcasing his devastating swing-and-miss stuff over a career-high 205.1 innings pitched. He limited opponents to a .217 batting average and allowed just 24 home runs, demonstrating strong command and the ability to dominate deep into games. His performance earned him an All-Star nod, a second-place finish in AL Cy Young voting, and eighth place in AL MVP balloting. He also contributed to Boston’s push toward the postseason, including a strong showing in the AL Wild Card Series where he struck out 11 over 7.2 innings in Game 1.

The season marked a significant step forward for Crochet, who built on his 2024 breakout by handling a full workload without injury setbacks. His consistency helped elevate the Red Sox rotation and provided the team with reliable, high-quality starts throughout the year.