After three straight losses, the Boston Red Sox are back on track. They scored their second consecutive victory on Monday night, kicking off their series in Sacramento against the Athletics with a 7-0 win. Boston ace Garrett Crochet was simply sensational on the mound in this dismantling of the A's at Sutter Health Park, with the American League Cy Young Award contender pitching brilliantly.
The 26-year-old Crochet twirled seven scoreless innings, while allowing zero walks and striking out a total of 10 Athletics hitters through 101 pitches. Such a performance also highlighted Crochet's ability to steady his boat right away following a rough outing.
Before his start versus the Athletics, Crochet was shelled by the Cleveland Guardians at Fenway Park on Sept. 2, as he surrendered seven earned runs on nine hits, including four home runs, in six innings of work. He was lucky to escape with a no-decision in that contest, thanks to the Red Sox's offense that keyed the 11-7 victory, but Crochet showed there that he's human after all.
Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story, who hit a home run against the A's and finished 2-for-4 with a couple of runs scored, had nothing but praise for Crochet following the game.
Crochet's 10-strikeout start also put him in front of Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers and every other pitcher in the big leagues in the 2025 MLB season in terms of total strikeouts. Through Monday, Crochet has 228 punchouts, six more than Skubal.
“He bounced back after a tough start last time,” Story said of Crochet, per Theo DeRosa of MLB.com. “Like I’ve said all year, that’s what the big boys do. That’s what the aces do. He’s certainly been that for us ever since he got here. He was in form tonight.”
“He went out there against a tough lineup and pounded the strike zone, had good stuff and gave us more than enough,” added Boston manager Alex Cora.
On the year, Crochet has a 15-5 record and a 2.57 ERA to go along wtih a 1.05 WHIP through 29 starts.
The Red Sox are 80-65, still trailing the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees in the American League East standings, but are 3.5 games inside the AL Wild Card picture.
