Garrett Crochet: One Of MLB's Undisputed Best Pitchers

Garrett Crochet did more Garrett Crochet things last night. He pitched six strong innings against the Red Sox, allowing just one earned run while striking out ten. He generated 17 swings and misses as well. The White Sox were amid their longest losing streak in franchise history, and Crochet stepped up like an ace and put the team on his back. Performances like last night's have been par for the course this season for the budding star. It is time to put Crochet in the conversation as one of baseball's best pitchers.

Crochet Seized The Opportunity

The crazy part of Crochet's 2024 season is that his role was completely unknown before the season began. Many were shocked when the White Sox unexpectedly announced him as the Opening Day starter this year. After all, he had never started an MLB game at that point. Bullpen appearances and injuries had defined his career before this season, but the White Sox believed in Crochet enough to let him be a starting pitcher in 2024. He has rewarded them big time.

One Of Baseball's Best Players

Crochet enters the day as a top 25 player in MLB per fWAR. For pitchers specifically, he ranks fifth. He leads MLB in K/9 and the American League in strikeouts. Crochet also ranks sixth in WHIP, seventh in strikeout-to-walk ratio, and eighth in hits per nine innings. After a tough stretch in mid-April, he has dominated for nearly two months. Crochet owns a 1.37 ERA, 1.90 FIP, 0.76 WHIP, and 12.3 K/9 in his last eight starts. His workload and a potential innings limit have been part of the equation since the beginning of the season, but he has only gotten better with time.

Sustainable Performance

Some pitchers have periods where they experience great success, but the underlying metrics suggest they are getting lucky and their performance is not sustainable. That is not the case for Crochet. The numbers back up how good he is. Crochet added a cutter into his arsenal this offseason, and that has been a game-changer for him. He throws it nearly 25% of the time now. His cutter and four-seam fastball duo have turned him into one of the best pitchers in baseball.

His Unclear Future In Chicago

As good as Crochet has been this season, his future in Chicago is unclear. The White Sox will be sellers at this trade deadline, and Crochet's name is already being mentioned in potential trade rumors. The Padres are interested in Crochet and are just one of many teams who would want his services. Crochet is an extremely valuable commodity with his talent and two and a half seasons of affordable team control.

Crochet's Love For The Team

On the White Sox Talk podcast, Crochet said that his name being in trade rumors is a "huge compliment" but also that "I love being with the team that drafted me. I think it's everybody's dream with the team that drafts them and the team they debut with to kind of transform their whole career there." Nobody knows what the future will hold, but the White Sox do not often develop homegrown stars. Crochet is an exception to the rule.

His Breakout Is A Needed Positive Storyline

In a season full of negative storylines and losing, Garrett Crochet's transformation into a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher has been one of the most prominent bright spots on the south side in 2024. It has been a breakout season for him. He will almost certainly make the All-Star team, and we are finally seeing what he can achieve. Whether he is in the White Sox long-term plans or not, watching him dominate every fifth day is a treat.