The Boston Red Sox just finished up a series against the Minnesota Twins. While he didn't throw a single pitch against the Twins, Red Sox starter Garrett Crochet still received praise for his dominance. Minnesota starter Pablo Lopez gave the ace his props for his dominant season. Crochet and Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal are neck-and-neck for the American League Cy Young Award.
The Red Sox have begun to claw their way back into the race in the American League East. Boston is 6-4 over their last ten games, thanks in large part to their pitching. Crochet is 2-0 since the All-Star break, boosting his season record to 12-4. If Skubal was not having a historic season, the Cy Young Award would be Crochet's to lose. Lopez recognizes just how good Crochet has been.
Lopez spoke to Boston Globe writer Tim Healey about Crochet's success. According to him, Lopez is jealous that Crochet has made the transition from a relief role to a starting one with such ease.
“Crochet is unbelievable,” Lopez said. “In a funny way, it [ticks] me off how quickly he figured out starting pitching. I’ve done it my whole career. It’s not easy. He made it look like a piece of cake. Man, he’s so talented. He’s so nasty.”
Lopez was having a good season himself before he got injured. However, he has used his time on the injured list to watch pitchers around the league in 2025. Unsurprisingly, he is one of many who recognize just how good Crochet has been so far. If the Red Sox make a run in the postseason, their ace's dominance will be a big reason why.
Crochet and Boston have a long way to go before they get to where they want to go. However, if Crochet continues to perform like he has been, their chances will only get better. If they don't already, players around the league will come to agree with Lopez when describing just how good the Red Sox's ace actually is.