How Red Sox’s Garrett Crochet Feels About Chris Sale Comparisons

Garrett Crochet’s comparisons to Chris Sale were inevitable once the 25-year-old officially became a member of the Boston Red Sox in December.

Crochet and Sale are both left-handed pitchers. They’re both ace-caliber starters, and the two both began their careers with the Chicago White Sox. Ironically enough, Crochet, like Sale, was dealt in a blockbuster trade involving elite prospects, just eight years apart. So, there are a few reasons why the comparisons have been made and will likely continue to be made as Crochet debuts in Boston in 2025.

“I’m 50/50. It’s a cool (comparison),” Crochet told Underdog Fantasy. “I’m at such an early stage in my career that it’s very lofty and it’s a point I hope to get to in my career, but also I’m trying to be my own guy. I feel like I’m trying to add different pitches. I know that he did it for a long time with primarily two dominant pitches and I feel like we’re just a little bit different in that regard.”

If there is a difference to highlight, it’d be experience. Sale was five All-Star appearances deep into his career when he arrived in Boston, established as one of the premier strikeout threats in the American League. Crochet, with 32 career big-league starts under his belt, is still working toward building that type of reputation. However, if a similarity links Sale and Crochet, it’d be expectations.

The bar is set high at Fenway Park for Crochet, and the crowd attention garnered during his first spring training start last week at JetBlue Park was a clear indicator. Boston is looking forward to Crochet delivering a similar impact to the team’s rotation as the Red Sox strive to bounce back in 2025.

Boston missed the playoffs the last three years and finished dead last in the AL East in three of the past five. Patience has been running thin at Fenway Park, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow proactively took a step forward in acquiring Crochet in exchange for four prospects, including catcher Kyle Teel — who’s ranked No. 32, according to MLB Pipeline’s top 100 rankings.

Crochet struck out four Blue Jays hitters last weekend across 1 2/3 innings before getting pulled by Red Sox manager Alex Cora, leaving a solid first impression among Boston teammates and fans at Fort Myers, Fla. It was just a snippet of what’s to come from Crochet’s debut season with the new-look Red Sox.

Meanwhile, Boston has been leaving a favorable impression on Crochet. The four-year veteran opened up a bit on what it’s been like playing for Cora, revealing that Boston’s skipper is well-respected among big leaguers everywhere.

“It’s been great so far,” Crochet said. “I played with (Martín) Maldonado last year and he would talk about him all the time, and how great he was. … But he’s a guy that you can lean on and a guy that you can trust to be honest and communicate well, which is great. It’s what you’re looking for.”

Crochet is expected to be the Opening Day starter for the Red Sox, which is less than four weeks away.