CHICAGO (670 The Score) – White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was up to the task in his first career MLB start.
With just 73 innings in MLB, all in relief, to his name entering this new season, Crochet was surprisingly named the White Sox’s starter for Opening Day. He justified the decision Thursday, throwing six innings of one-run ball while striking out eight and scattering five hits in the White Sox’s 1-0 loss to the Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“He handled himself great out there today,” new White Sox catcher Martin Maldonado said. “He was pumping in strikes from all the pitches he was throwing. Today he had every pitch working for him.”
Crochet didn’t walk a batter all day, showcasing command and control of his dynamic arsenal. Afterward, he expressed gratitude for getting the Opening Day nod.
"I have been in a big moment before, but nothing as great as this," Crochet said. "I felt like I had to give my team a chance and keep my emotions under control. This was a different type of atmosphere than in spring training. But I was able to retain the same confidence level.”
The 24-year-old Crochet, a first-round pick of the White Sox in 2020, was only the sixth pitcher in MLB history to make his first big league start on Opening Day. Beyond the Tigers lineup, he also dealt with the emotions of his first start, which featured a lot of family and friends in attendance.
“The reactions were all positive from the staff,” Crochet said. “The fans here are great. You could feel it with full counts or two strikes on the batter. The fans always get loud for that, and it's great to feel their presence when you are on the mound. The truth was before the start, I was feeling just about every emotion you can think of. I was able to quickly get those under control. Once I stepped on the mound, those feelings kind of all washed away.”
Although his White Sox lost and managed just three hits offensively, manager Pedro Grifol saw positives in Thursday. He loved that Crochet worked through six innings.
“Everybody was talking about Garrett maybe throwing four innings here or five innings there,” Grifol said. “All of a sudden, today he is still toeing the rubber in the sixth innings. I was proud of his performance. He pounded the strike zone while throwing 87 pitches. He threw 61 strikes and threw the ball so well. Garrett is confident and comes right at you. He is not afraid to challenge hitters. He has a lot of weapons to get people out. He stood out there like a man today and did his job.”
For now, the plan is for Crochet to pitch again Tuesday on a normal four days rest.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine .
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