FORT MYERS, Fla. — Lefty Garrett Crochet topped out at 98.9 mph with his fastball in his second Grapefruit League start Friday.
The Red Sox are in Clearwater playing the Phillies. Boston leads 3-1 in the fourth inning.
The 25-year-old Crochet threw 18 four-seamers and averaged 97.3 mph with the heater, per Baseball Savant.
He threw 1 ⅔ scoreless innings and allowed one hit and three walks while striking out three. Control was an issue. He averaged just 53.6% strikes (41 pitches, 22 strikes).
Crochet has one of the top fastballs in the majors. Last year, the pitch averaged 97.2 mph and opponents batted .198 against it. He maintained elite velocity throughout the season. He topped out at 99.8 mph in his first start March 28. He reached back for 100.4 mph in his final start Sept. 27.
Crochet recently discussed what makes his fastball so effective beyond velocity:
“To be honest, I don’t know because metrically it’s nothing crazy,” he said. ”“I think it’s having three different variations of fastballs (four-seam, cut fastball, sinker) that makes the four-seam pop a little bit more. Being teammates with Lance Lynn for a couple years and seeing how he navigated lineups being damn-near exclusively a fastball pitcher was something that always appealed to me. Since I kind of gained the velocity in college, that’s how I like to pitch.”
Crochet, who considers his cutter his second best pitch, threw 19 cutters.
“Occasionally I’m burned by the hook spinner down the left field line right over third base,” Crochet said about his cutter. “But just my ability to throw it for strikes and command it and keep hitters off-balance with it.”
Crochet also threw two sinkers and two sweepers.
He walked all three batters in the second inning. Minor league call-up Christopher Troye relieved and struck out Trea Turner swinging to escape the jam without any runs scoring.
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