Crochet: Opening Day start was 'very satisfying' after rough spring

CINCINNATI (AP) — Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet turned the page on a difficult spring training and delivered a stellar performance when it counted in a 3-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Opening Day.

"I've got a lot of self belief," Crochet said. "In the moment in spring I definitely thought I sucked. But I knew that wasn't who I was. You got to be able to turn the page. No better time to do it than first game of the season."

Crochet, who posted a 7.36 ERA with only eight strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings in the spring, pitched six scoreless innings on Thursday, allowing three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

In his last eight regular season starts since August 23, 2025, Crochet owns a 7-0 record. The Red Sox have won all eight of those starts.

"I expect him to compete the same way he did last year," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "He set the tempo. The question marks about him to stay strong throughout the season, and he did. It's on us this year to make sure we take care of him. He's in a good place now. Just go out there and execute every five days."

Crochet, 26, made his third consecutive Opening Day start to become the first pitcher in the modern era (since 1901) to start on Opening Day in each of his first three seasons as a starter, once with the White Sox and twice with Boston.

Prior to Crochet, the last pitcher to start Opening Day in his first two seasons as a starter was Hippo Vaughn with the Yankees in 1910-11.

On Thursday, Crochet rolled through the first five innings before Cincinnati loaded the bases with one out in the sixth. He struck out Eugenio Suarez and Spencer Steer to keep the game scoreless.

"Very satisfying," Crochet said. "Came into today with the goal to put the team in position to win. Just felt like it was (about) attacking with strengths. Today was no care in the world about shape, just flying through the zone trying to throw hard."

The Reds came out swinging early in Thursday's game against Crochet, helping him get through three innings with just 33 pitches.

"The four-pitch first (inning) kind of muddies the waters there," he said. "They came out of the gates being aggressive. It's usually one of two approaches that I see from opponents. It's either super passive or ultra aggressive. I was trying to take what they were giving me."

Crochet leads a revamped Red Sox rotation that added Ranger Suárez, who signed a five-year, $130-million contract in January, and veteran Sonny Gray, who came over in a trade with the Cardinals in November. Gray will make his Red Sox debut on Saturday.

Crochet finished runner-up to Tarik Skubal for the American League Cy Young Award last year after going 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 32 starts while leading the league with 255 strikeouts.

"He's the ace," Cora said. "He did an amazing job, using all his pitches. That last inning started with a walk then he just battled back, finished strong, and gave our offense a chance to cash in."

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb