Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet is congratulated in the dugout after the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet throws during a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet, right, reacts as New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge, back left, rounds third base after hitting a fifth-inning solo home run during a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet is congratulated in the dugout after the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
BOSTON (AP) 鈥 The Boston Red Sox went out and picked up Garrett Crochet for a game like this.
Facing the rival New York Yankees in a race for the AL鈥檚 top wild-card spot, Crochet was given a big first-inning lead and matched his season high with 12 strikeouts over six innings in Boston鈥檚 Sunday night that salvaged the finale of a three-game series.
鈥淲e already talked about it being a must-win game, just trying to do everything I could,鈥 said Crochet, who is 16-5 with a 2.63 ERA. 鈥淲e were just trying to re-right the ship. The offense came out big early and I was trying to do my best to maintain the lead.”
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The Red Sox in a trade with the Chicago White Sox during the offseason. Then, they didn鈥檛 wait very long to lock him up, signing him to a during the first week of the season. The contract starts next season.
The Red Sox are 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees, who hold the top wild-card slot. Boston is second. The top wild-card team hosts the runner-up in a three-game series.
On Sunday, Boston came out and scored six runs in the bottom of the first after Crochet fanned two in a 1-2-3 top half.
鈥淚t was huge. He set the tone early there in the top of the first,鈥 Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story said. 鈥淭o put up a six-spot, it felt like a million with Crochet going.鈥
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the team managed Crochet’s workload after the All-Star break so his big lefty would have more down the stretch.
鈥淔or all those questions about workload and (velocity) down, I think the last (pitch) was 99 mph.鈥 Cora said. 鈥淲e took care of him to take care of us. Hopefully the rest of the month and the next one he鈥檚 a huge part of it.鈥
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Crochet knows his team is counting on him.
鈥淓specially as we鈥檙e nearing the end here, I don鈥檛 want to have any regret on my mind here in the next couple of weeks,鈥 he said. 鈥淛ust trying to do everything I can to put us in a good spot.鈥
Asked what he thought it would be like to face the Yankees in the postseason, Crochet said: 鈥淚t would be cool because it means we鈥檙e in the postseason. I think that鈥檚 the main focus. It doesn鈥檛 matter who we鈥檙e playing.鈥
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