Garrett Crochet Stats: The Complete Breakdown of Boston’s Cy Young Contending Ace
Last updated: March 30, 2026
I have watched a lot of left-handed starters come and go over the past decade, but I cannot remember a transformation quite like the one Garrett Crochet pulled off between 2023 and 2025. He went from a hard-throwing reliever rebuilding from Tommy John surgery to one of the most feared starting pitchers in Major League Baseball, and now, on the eve of the 2026 season, he is the most important player on the Boston Red Sox roster. As someone who pays close attention to pitch design, workload management, and the mechanics that separate great arms from healthy great arms, I think Crochet’s story is the most fascinating pitcher analysis going right now, and the early-season returns will tell us whether his ascent has another level left.
This breakdown walks through everything I look at when I evaluate Crochet: the career stats that frame his trajectory, the pitch arsenal that powers his strikeout numbers, the trade that brought him to Boston, his durability questions, the Cy Young chase he ran in 2025, and how he stacks up against the other top starters in the American League heading into 2026. If you came here looking for a Garrett Crochet stats analysis that actually digs into the why behind the numbers, I hope you walk away with a sharper picture.
Who Is Garrett Crochet and Why He Matters in 2026
Garrett Crochet is a 26-year-old left-handed starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He stands six feet, six inches tall, throws with a long, whippy arm action, and lives in the upper 90s with his fastball while pairing it with one of the nastiest cutter-slider combinations in the league. He was drafted 11th overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2020 MLB Draft out of the University of Tennessee, debuted that same year as a reliever, missed most of 2022 and 2023 to Tommy John surgery and recovery, and then exploded onto the scene in 2024 once he transitioned to the rotation full-time.
Why does he matter so much in 2026? Because the Red Sox traded a meaningful prospect package for him in December 2024 and immediately signed him to a six-year, $170 million contract extension before he had thrown a single pitch in a Boston uniform. That is the kind of bet a front office only makes on a player they believe is on the short list of true aces in the sport. After his 2025 season — which I will break down piece by piece — that bet looks like one of the smartest moves in recent franchise history. He is the staff anchor, the ace, and one of the leading early candidates for the 2026 American League Cy Young Award.
Garrett Crochet Career Stats Table
Before I get into the analysis, let’s lay out the raw career numbers. The big jump is impossible to miss — once he stretched out as a starter in 2024 and refined the role in 2025, his counting and rate stats both took off. The early reliever years still matter because they show how the velocity translated immediately, but the 2024 and 2025 lines are where the conversation about Crochet as an ace really begins.
| Season | Team | Role | G/GS | IP | W-L | ERA | WHIP | K | K/9 | BB/9 | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | CHW | RP | 5/0 | 6.0 | 0-0 | 0.00 | 1.00 | 8 | 12.0 | 4.5 | 0.2 |
| 2021 | CHW | RP | 54/0 | 54.1 | 4-3 | 2.82 | 1.18 | 65 | 10.8 | 3.6 | 0.9 |
| 2022 | CHW | RP | 13/0 | 12.2 | 0-1 | 3.55 | 1.34 | 14 | 9.9 | 4.3 | 0.1 |
| 2023 | CHW | RP | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | CHW | SP | 32/32 | 146.0 | 6-12 | 3.58 | 1.07 | 209 | 12.9 | 2.3 | 4.4 |
| 2025 | BOS | SP | 32/32 | 205.1 | 16-7 | 2.74 | 1.05 | 241 | 10.6 | 2.0 | 5.8 |
| Career | — | — | 136/64 | 424.1 | 26-23 | 3.05 | 1.08 | 537 | 11.4 | 2.4 | 11.4 |
A couple of notes on this table. He missed all of 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery he had in April 2022, which is why that line is blank. The 209 strikeouts in 2024 came in just 146 innings, which is why his K/9 was so absurdly high. In 2025 he stretched out to 205 1/3 innings — a near 60-inning increase — and still managed a 10.6 K/9. That kind of jump in workload while maintaining strikeout dominance is incredibly rare, and it is the entire reason scouts and fans alike are projecting him as a genuine top-of-rotation arm rather than a high-K, high-injury-risk lottery ticket.
Breaking Down Garrett Crochet’s 2025 Season
The 2025 season was Crochet’s first in Boston, and it ended up being the most dominant year by a Red Sox left-hander since the Chris Sale prime. He led the American League in innings pitched (205 1/3) and strikeouts (241), finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting behind Tarik Skubal, and made his first All-Star team as a starter. He also threw the first complete-game shutout of his career in late August, an 11-strikeout performance against the Yankees at Fenway Park that I still think was the signature outing of his year.
What separated 2025 from his 2024 numbers, in my opinion, was three things. First, he learned to pitch deeper into games — his average was 6.4 innings per start, up from 4.6 the year before. Second, he refined his cutter, which became a genuine putaway pitch against right-handed hitters. Third, he simply pitched in a real playoff race for the first time in his career, and the high-leverage workload added a layer of refinement that you can’t simulate in a 100-loss environment.
Garrett Crochet’s Pitch Arsenal and Pitching Style
If you have never sat down and watched Crochet pitch from the lefty batter’s box angle, you should. He is one of the few starters in the league whose four-seam fastball averages over 97 mph and who can hold that velocity into the seventh inning. He is also one of the few left-handers anywhere who throws a true cutter at 90+ mph that behaves more like a classic Mariano Rivera cutter than a slow gyro slider.
The Four-Seam Fastball
His four-seamer averaged 97.4 mph in 2025 and topped out at 100.6 mph during a late June outing against Toronto. He throws it from a low three-quarters slot at six feet, six inches tall, which gives the pitch a flat approach angle that is brutal at the top of the zone. Statcast data showed his four-seam getting whiff rates above 30% on pitches above the belt, and his put-away rate against righties was elite. This is a starter’s fastball with a closer’s velocity, which is exactly the profile that scouts had projected when he was a draft prospect at Tennessee. If you want to dig deeper into the mechanics behind a pitch like this, I have a full breakdown of how to throw a four seam fastball that covers the grip and release points he uses.
The Cutter
The cutter became his most-used non-fastball pitch in 2025, sitting at 91-93 mph with sharp glove-side movement. He uses it primarily to bury under the hands of right-handed hitters and to steal early-count strikes against lefties. The cutter was actually born during his 2024 spring training when the White Sox pitching staff convinced him that a slower, looser slider was holding back his arsenal. They cleaned up the grip, shortened the action, and the result was a hybrid pitch that plays like a hard slider against lefties and a cutter against righties. It is, in my view, the single biggest reason he became a top-five Cy Young pitcher. For the underlying mechanics, our guide on how to throw a cutter walks through the exact grip pattern that pitchers like Crochet are using.
The Sweeper and Changeup
The third pitch is a true sweeper, sitting around 84-86 mph with 15-plus inches of horizontal break. He uses it almost exclusively against same-side lefty hitters, where the movement profile is borderline unhittable. His fourth pitch is a changeup that sits 88-90 mph and that he is still developing. He throws it maybe 8-10% of the time, and I think the next step in his arsenal evolution will be turning the changeup into a real third pitch against right-handed hitters. If he ever gets there, the strikeout total can climb back toward the 12-K-per-nine territory of his 2024 season. Pitchers who want to learn this same shape can read our breakdown of how to throw a sweeper and the changeup grip details in our changeup guide.
The Trade That Brought Crochet to Boston
On December 11, 2024, the Boston Red Sox acquired Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth, and right-handed pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez. It was, at the time, the largest pitcher-for-prospects trade of the offseason, and it cost Boston their consensus number-one prospect (Teel) and a recently drafted top-25 prospect in Montgomery.
I remember the immediate reaction in baseball circles being split. The optimistic camp said Boston had finally landed an ace under team control with playoff upside. The skeptical camp said they had given up too much for a pitcher with one season as a starter and a Tommy John surgery on his record. Sixteen months later, the trade looks like a clear win for Boston, particularly after they extended Crochet on a six-year, $170 million deal in spring 2025 that bought out his arbitration years and three free-agent seasons. The extension keeps him in Boston through the 2030 season, which is a long enough window that even one more elite season makes the deal a bargain.
Key Moments in Crochet’s Career
To really understand the player, you have to understand the moments that shaped him. Here are the ones I think mattered most.
The 2020 MLB Debut
Crochet was drafted in June 2020 and reached the majors that September — three months after being drafted, with zero minor-league appearances. He is one of fewer than 25 players in modern draft history to do this. His debut came against the Cincinnati Reds, where he hit 100 mph on his first pitch and struck out the side. That was the moment everyone knew the velocity was real.
The Tommy John Surgery and Recovery
In April 2022, Crochet underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the rest of 2022 and all of 2023. The recovery was longer than the standard 14-month timeline because of complications, but he came back throwing the same velocity, which is not always a guarantee. The recovery process is also where he started thinking seriously about transitioning from a multi-inning reliever to a starter, working with the White Sox player development staff to build out a four-pitch mix. Players coming back from arm injuries should review our resource on baseball arm care exercises to understand the kind of work Crochet did during his recovery.
The 2024 All-Star Selection
Crochet made his first All-Star team in 2024 in his first year as a starter — almost unheard of for a pitcher in that situation. He came in for an inning, threw three fastballs all 99-plus, and struck out the side. It was the announcement that the league was going to have to deal with him.
The 2025 Cy Young Runner-Up Finish
Finishing second to Tarik Skubal in 2025 Cy Young voting was a coronation as much as a near-miss. Skubal had a historically dominant year, but Crochet was right there in every meaningful category. The runner-up finish marked his official entry into the small group of pitchers anyone seriously considers a Cy Young favorite heading into 2026. If you want context on the pitcher who beat him, our Tarik Skubal stats analysis covers the same kinds of numbers in detail.
The First Career Complete-Game Shutout
August 23, 2025, at Fenway Park: Crochet went all nine innings against the Yankees, struck out 11, walked one, and threw 108 pitches in a 4-0 shutout. It was the first complete game by a Red Sox pitcher in over two seasons and the kind of statement game that ace-level starters need on their résumé.
Garrett Crochet vs. His Peers in the AL Rotation
One of the questions I get asked most often is how Crochet stacks up against the other elite American League starters. Here is how I see the top tier of AL aces lining up entering 2026.
| Pitcher | Team | 2025 ERA | 2025 IP | 2025 K | 2025 K/9 | 2025 fWAR | Top Pitch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarik Skubal | DET | 2.39 | 211.0 | 238 | 10.1 | 6.4 | Changeup |
| Garrett Crochet | BOS | 2.74 | 205.1 | 241 | 10.6 | 5.8 | Cutter |
| Cole Ragans | KC | 3.06 | 192.2 | 225 | 10.5 | 4.8 | Changeup |
| George Kirby | SEA | 3.18 | 198.0 | 189 | 8.6 | 4.5 | Command |
| Logan Gilbert | SEA | 3.21 | 196.1 | 206 | 9.4 | 4.6 | Splitter |
| Hunter Brown | HOU | 3.32 | 189.0 | 198 | 9.4 | 4.2 | Knuckle Curve |
What jumps out from this table is that Crochet was second only to Skubal in fWAR among AL starters and led the entire league in strikeouts. He also had the second-highest K/9 of any starter who threw 200-plus innings. The only meaningful gap between him and Skubal in 2025 was ERA, which can be partly explained by Boston’s defense and ballpark relative to Detroit’s. The gap is closeable, and it might already have closed.
It is also worth noting how he stacks up against the most dominant young right-hander of his era. Our Paul Skenes stats analysis walks through the National League equivalent — Skenes and Crochet are arguably the two most exciting pitchers in baseball, just on different sides of the country and with different pitch profiles.
Crochet’s Mechanics and What Makes Him Unique
I want to spend a paragraph on his mechanics because, as a coach who has worked with high school and college pitchers for years, I find Crochet’s delivery genuinely unusual. He is six feet, six inches tall and pitches from a relatively low three-quarters slot — most pitchers his height pitch closer to over-the-top. The low slot, combined with his height, creates an extreme horizontal release point that is roughly 6.4 feet wide of the rubber on his glove-side. That release angle is one of the reasons his cutter and slider are so effective: they look like they are starting from way outside before they cut back over the plate.
His arm action is long and whippy, which historically has been associated with elbow injury risk — the long arm action delays the upper-body rotation, which puts more stress on the elbow at foot strike. The Tommy John surgery in 2022 fits this profile. Boston’s pitching development team has worked with him on quieting the arm path slightly without sacrificing velocity, and so far in spring 2026, the early bullpen reports suggest the changes have stuck. If you want to understand the velocity work that goes into building this kind of arm, our piece on how to throw harder in baseball covers the framework.
Workload, Durability, and the Big Question Heading Into 2026
The single most-debated question about Crochet is durability. He has only ever thrown 200-plus innings once in his career — last season — and his minor-league inning total is essentially zero because he debuted directly from college. That is a fundamentally different developmental path than Skubal, Logan Webb, Zack Wheeler, or any other established veteran ace.
The good news is that he held his velocity all season — September fastball velocity was 97.1 mph against an April average of 97.6 mph, which is essentially noise. The bad news is that the historical base rates for pitchers who increase their workload by 60-plus innings in a single year are not great. Boston has been public about the fact that they will not let his innings climb meaningfully again in 2026 — they are targeting another 200-205 inning season, with extra emphasis on managing pitch counts in cold-weather April starts.
Crochet’s Impact on the Boston Red Sox
The impact of having a true ace cannot be overstated. The Red Sox finished above .500 in 2025 for the first time in three years, made the playoffs as the second wild card, and Crochet was the single biggest reason. He gave them 32 starts, eight of which the team won by three or more runs. He was the stopper after losses (Boston was 6-2 in his starts following a loss). And his presence let the front office take a slightly different approach to the rotation, prioritizing innings-eaters and upside arms behind him rather than feeling forced to spend big on a second ace.
The 2026 Red Sox have championship aspirations because of him. Their offense is solid but not elite. Their defense is league-average. The bullpen has been rebuilt around a couple of late-inning power arms. The reason any of that adds up to a contender is that they have a top-three Cy Young pitcher anchoring the rotation every fifth day.
What I’m Watching for in 2026
Heading into the regular season, here is the short list of things I am watching with Crochet specifically.
- Velocity stability: Does the four-seam stay at 97-plus through August and September? If yes, the arm is handling the workload jump.
- Changeup usage: Does he push the changeup usage up toward 12-15%? That would unlock another whole tier as a starter.
- Walk rate: Can he get the BB/9 below 2.0? He was at 2.0 last year, and getting it under that threshold puts him squarely in the elite-command tier.
- Innings cap: Does Boston actually hold the line at 205 innings, or do they push him deeper if they are in a tight playoff race?
- Postseason workload: If the Red Sox make a deep run, how does the team manage him through October? Last year he made one Wild Card start and was out in the Division Series.
Frequently Asked Questions About Garrett Crochet
How fast does Garrett Crochet throw?
His four-seam fastball averaged 97.4 mph in 2025 and tops out at 100-101 mph. His cutter sits 91-93 mph and his sweeper sits 84-86 mph. He is one of only a handful of starting pitchers in the league who averages above 97 mph as a starter while still throwing 200-plus innings.
How tall is Garrett Crochet?
Crochet is six feet, six inches tall and listed at 245 pounds. His combination of size and a low three-quarters arm slot gives him an unusual release angle that scouts have called one of the toughest to hit in the league.
Where did Garrett Crochet go to college?
He pitched at the University of Tennessee for three years before being drafted 11th overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2020 MLB Draft. He was a key part of the Volunteers’ rotation as a sophomore in 2019 before injuries shortened his junior year.
When did Garrett Crochet have Tommy John surgery?
He underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2022 and missed the rest of the 2022 season as well as the entire 2023 season recovering. He returned in 2024 and immediately moved into the rotation full-time, posting one of the best debut starting seasons in recent memory.
What was the trade that brought Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox?
On December 11, 2024, the Red Sox sent catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth, and right-handed pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Crochet. Boston then signed him to a six-year, $170 million extension in spring 2025 that runs through the 2030 season.
How many strikeouts did Garrett Crochet have in 2025?
He led the American League with 241 strikeouts in 205 1/3 innings pitched in 2025. He also led the AL in innings pitched and finished second in Cy Young voting behind Detroit’s Tarik Skubal.
Is Garrett Crochet a starter or reliever?
He is a full-time starting pitcher and has been since the 2024 season. From 2020 to 2022 he pitched exclusively in relief for the White Sox while the team developed his secondary pitches and managed his workload coming off Tommy John surgery.
Is Garrett Crochet left-handed or right-handed?
He is a left-handed pitcher, which is part of why his arsenal is so valuable — the combination of upper-90s velocity from the left side with elite secondary pitches is one of the rarest profiles in baseball. He is also one of only a handful of left-handers in MLB history to average over 97 mph on the four-seam fastball as a starter.
What is Garrett Crochet’s contract situation?
His six-year, $170 million extension signed in spring 2025 covers the 2025 through 2030 seasons. The deal pays an average annual value of just over $28 million, which was below the market for a top-five starter at signing and looks like a bargain after his 2025 performance.
Could Garrett Crochet win the 2026 AL Cy Young Award?
Yes. He enters 2026 as one of the top three or four favorites alongside Tarik Skubal, Cole Ragans, and Logan Gilbert. The path to the award likely involves matching or improving on his 2025 strikeout total, lowering his ERA into the mid-2.00s, and Boston staying in the playoff race long enough to give him meaningful September starts. If those things happen, he wins it.
The Bottom Line on Garrett Crochet
If you had told me in April 2023 — when Crochet was still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery — that two years later he would be the AL strikeout leader, the runner-up for the Cy Young Award, and the highest-paid pitcher in Boston Red Sox history, I would not have believed you. The transformation from injured reliever to franchise ace is one of the more remarkable arcs of the past decade in baseball, and the trade that brought him to Boston is already one of the more impactful pitcher acquisitions of the 2020s.
The 2026 season is going to define how high his ceiling really is. If he repeats 2025, he is a perennial top-five starter in the league. If he takes another step — develops the changeup, pushes the walk rate down, makes 33 or 34 starts — he becomes the best left-handed pitcher in baseball. Either way, every Red Sox fan and every serious baseball watcher in the country has a reason to follow every fifth day. I plan to be watching, and after writing all of this out, I genuinely cannot wait to see what the next six months look like for the most fascinating pitcher in the American League.
