Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox's Garrett Crochet Gets Real About 'Misread' 101-MPH Fastball

Whatever it was, it wasn't getting hit...
Jackson Roberts|
Feb 28, 2025; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Feb 28, 2025; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

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Did Garrett Crochet throw 101 miles per hour during the Boston Red Sox's spring training game on Wednesday? The answer may not be as simple as you think.

The in-stadium radar gun at JetBlue Park clocked Crochet at 101 on multiple occasions.. But there's widespread speculation that the TrackMan system that gun runs on has slightly "juiced" readings compared to the official Statcast system employed at all 30 ballparks during the regular season.

More importantly, Crochet was absolutely dominant in his three innings of work. He punched out seven Tampa Bay Rays hitters while scattering three baserunners. He still has yet to allow a run in a Red Sox uniform.

After the performance, Crochet, who touched 100 on the nose four times last season with the Chicago White Sox and never broke 101, admitted that the reading was probably off a tick or two.

“I think that was a misread. I was feeling good, and I know it was coming out well, but I don’t think it was that well," Crochet said, per Ian Browne of MLB.com.

Even if he's not setting personal records only two weeks into spring games, Crochet is still electrifying Red Sox fans. He's struck out 14 batters in his 6 1/3 innings thus far, and though spring stats are meaningless, it doesn't seem as though many hitters around baseball can touch him right now.

“He’s just a strong dude who knows his art, or his craft,” manager Alex Cora said, per Browne. “He’s working hard with the pitching group to keep getting better. I think for him, last year was last year. He just got a taste of what it is to be a big league starter. And he's eager to get this going and give us 30 starts and then help us win."

The Red Sox are counting on Crochet to be a true number-one starter. So far, he's done nothing to suggest he won't be exactly that this season.

More MLB: Red Sox $55 Million Starter Projected For Long-Awaited Breakout Season

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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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