Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet joins Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens in Boston history

In a season already filled with dominant pitching across the league, Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet just placed his name beside two of the franchise’s most revered legends. With his 11-strikeout performance against the New York Yankees Saturday afternoon, the 26-year-old left-hander officially became the fastest pitcher in Red Sox history to reach 200 strikeouts, joining Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens in the exclusive club.

Crochet’s historic milestone came in just 160 innings—an achievement not even Martinez or Clemens matched during their Cy Young campaigns. It was his third start of the year against New York and yet another chapter in the ongoing Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalry, as he carved through the lineup for seven innings, allowing just one run on a Giancarlo Stanton homer while fanning 11 batters.

The moment didn’t go unnoticed, as MLB Stats took to their X (formerly known as Twitter), congratulating the lefty on the elite company he joined.

“Garrett Crochet (2025) joins these @RedSox pitchers with 200+ K in their first 26 games of a season

• Chris Sale (2017, 2018)

• Pedro Martínez (1999, 2000, 2002)

• Roger Clemens (1988)”

Originally acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a 2024 offseason trade, Crochet wasted no time proving his value in Boston. After signing a six-year, $170 million extension, the converted reliever has evolved into an AL Cy Young Award candidate leading the league in strikeouts per nine innings at 11.25.

Even more impressive, the lefty became the first Red Sox southpaw since Chris Sale in 2019 to surpass 200 strikeouts in a season. His dominance has anchored Boston’s rise in the AL East standings, where the team sits at 70–55—just five games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays—and is trending toward its 71st win. With momentum building, the club is eyeing its first division title since 2018.

Crochet’s 2025 campaign mirrors the elite-level production seen in past award-winning seasons from Martinez and Clemens. Martinez’s 1999 season (313 Ks) and Clemens’ 1986 breakout (238 Ks) now have a worthy modern parallel. Crochet has already logged 409 strikeouts across two seasons since his transition to the rotation—most in baseball over that stretch.

And the stakes are rising. The former White Sox pitcher’s standout outings against rivals like the Yankees—including 8.1 scoreless innings earlier this summer—have reignited the Red Sox Yankees rivalry, drawing national attention and giving Boston its first true ace since Sale’s peak years.

Crochet capped off his dominant outing against New York by striking out Austin Wells to end the seventh inning, notching his 500th career strikeout in the process. He left the game with a 5-1 lead, positioning Boston just six outs away from a series win.