Garrett Crochet looked at an April 19 start in Philadelphia as an early test in moving from the bullpen to the Chicago White Sox rotation.
“They had some good left-handed bats,” Crochet said recently, “and I failed that test.”
The left-hander allowed seven runs, including three home runs, in three-plus innings in a 7-0 loss at Citizens Bank Park.
That was his fifth start of 2024. He wanted to make sure that outing wouldn’t dictate the rest of his season.
“That person, I was going to leave him there in Philly and he wasn’t going to show up the rest of the year,” Crochet said.
Crochet had one more bumpy start in his next outing against the Minnesota Twins, allowing five runs in four-plus innings in a 6-3 loss on April 24 at Target Field. Since then he has been one of the top pitchers in baseball on the way to earning his first All-Star selection.
He received a nice ovation and waved to the crowd between innings of Monday’s game against the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field when highlights of his season were shown on the video board in tribute to the All-Star recognition.
“I didn’t necessarily expect my first year starting to go this way, but I’m really happy with where I’m at,” Crochet said before Monday’s game. “My confidence is in a good place. I feel really good with my stuff. And most importantly, I’m feeling good.”
Crochet leads the majors with 146 strikeouts and 12.47 strikeouts per nine innings. He’s ninth in the American League with a 3.02 ERA.
“The work I put in in the offseason, that was before expectations began because I was just hoping to break with the team,” Crochet said. “But having the work I put in the last six months come to fruition is really cool.”
He pushed for the opportunity to start and is glad to see the results to date. But Crochet is mindful there is more to come.
“We still have half the season left,” he said. “So it’s cool, can check that box, but I’m still focused on having a good full season.”
Crochet has allowed three runs or fewer in 13 straight starts since April 29. And in 12 starts since May 1, he is 5-2 with a 1.66 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 99 strikeouts. He was named AL Pitcher of the Month for June.
The success has come as his name is being mentioned in trade speculation.
“Obviously I pay attention to it,” Crochet said of the trade rumors. “I see it. I hear it all the time. But I’ve still got to perform. A wise person told me, ‘Every time you take the mound, you’re playing for every team in the league.’ And that’s just the fact of the matter.
“You never know what can happen in this business. But what I try to focus on is playing for my teammates and playing the game hard.”
Manager Pedro Grifol understands the trade buzz surrounding Crochet.
“I think all 30 teams want Garrett Crochet, including the Chicago White Sox,” Grifol said. “But there’s a business side to all this. And I don’t think it’s good business to never check in.
“You never really know, but as far as teams wanting to keep him, I think if anybody had Garrett Crochet, all 30 teams, including us, want to be able to keep him and build around him.
“But that’s not good business to shut those doors. It’s good business to open them. You have to see what it is.”
What Grifol has witnessed in Crochet is a pitcher on top of his game in several categories.
“You are in this game long enough to realize that starters are really hard to find,” Grifol said. “And when somebody has that drive and that will to do it and he’s got the tools and the size and the physicality, you’ve got to give him an opportunity.
“This is an indication for everybody in the game to take note on what makeup is all about. Makeup is a huge part of greatness and success. You can have all the tools in the world, but you’ve got to have good makeup and that will and that drive and those intangibles that are going to make you great. This is an indication of a kid that has it all.”
