The Boston Red Sox made a few moves to turn their team around this offseason. Headlining the offseason was the massive signing of superstar Alex Bregman and the blockbuster trade to acquire Chicago White Sox star Garrett Crochet. Heading into the season, the American League East is wide open following the season-ending injury to New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. Boston could steal the division if everything goes right. ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently suggested the Red Sox’s season will hinge on their ace, the aforementioned Crochet. “The Red Sox needed a front-line starter as much as any team needed anything this winter, and although Crochet has all of 146 innings as a starter to his name, Boston gladly parted with a significant package of prospects for two years of Crochet control,” Passan wrote. “He will start Opening Day with a gyro slider to add to his quiver of pitches with glove-side run: a four-seam fastball, a cutter, and a sweeper. “Crochet’s velocity is unmatched by his southpaw peers, but then it’s never been a question of stuff with him. If Crochet can stay healthy and push past the 180-inning mark, the Red Sox will find themselves in the mix of an AL East that looks much more wide open without Gerrit Cole at the top of the Yankees’ rotation.”
While it could be easy to put the bulk of the load on Rafael Devers or Bregman, Crochet is clearly the player this season will hinge on. Bregman and Devers play in a loaded lineup surrounded by stars. If one of them doesn’t live up to expectations, the rest of the lineup should be able to pick up the slack. If Crochet doesn’t live up to expectations, the Red Sox will be left with little to no pitching. Three of Boston’s starters — Kutter Crawford, Lucas Giolito, and Brayon Bello — are all injured right now, which shifts more of the load onto Crochet.
The southpaw will need to be at his best for the Red Sox to reach their potential this season.
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