The Boston Red Sox took a significant gamble last year by acquiring Garrett Crochet, a young left-hander with both immense potential and a spotty injury record. At the time of the trade, Crochet had only one year of starting experience and an average of just 4.56 innings per start in 2024. Boston’s decision was a risk based on upside rather than proven consistency.
This gamble intensified when the Red Sox locked Crochet into a hefty six-year, $170 million contract extension on April 1, 2026. Crochet wasted no time proving his worth, leading the Major Leagues with 255 strikeouts, reaching more than 200 innings pitched—an accomplishment shared by only two other pitchers—and finishing second in the American League Cy Young Award voting.
Crochet Emerges as One of Baseball’s Top Power Arms
In his breakout season, Garrett Crochet demonstrated the elite dominance the Red Sox were hoping to unlock. His fastball and strikeout capacity marked him as one of the few genuine power pitchers currently active in MLB. Despite this, his bid for the Cy Young Award was narrowly blocked by Tarik Skubal, the only other American League pitcher considered to have a comparable performance in 2026.
During the offseason, however, Crochet focused on refining his arsenal, potentially setting the stage to surpass Skubal next year. This development centers on a notable change to his pitching repertoire, which could amplify his effectiveness on the mound.
Crochet Replaces Changeup with a Splitter to Enhance Pitching Arsenal
According to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe, Garrett Crochet has shifted away from his rarely used changeup, which accounted for only 4% of his pitches last season. Instead, he has adopted a splitter, employing a new grip he mastered during his offseason workouts at Vanderbilt.
“A new, minor twist for Garrett Crochet this season: His changeup (which he threw just 4% of the time last year) is now more of a splitter, thanks to a new grip he learned at Vanderbilt over the offseason.” — Tim Healey, Baseball Journalist
Crochet’s changeup was previously more of a situational pitch, mainly utilized against right-handed hitters without much confidence or frequency. The transition to a splitter—a harder off-speed pitch—could dramatically improve how he handles batters, particularly those batting right-handed.
Splitter Addition Could Address Right-Handed Batters’ Success Against Crochet
Last season, Garrett Crochet dominated left-handed hitters but was somewhat less effective against righties. Right-handed batters posted a slugging percentage of .374 against him, substantially higher than the .262 slugging lefties managed. Moreover, right-handed hitters slugged at a rate of 1.15 home runs per nine innings versus Crochet, almost double the 0.65 HR/9 allowed to left-handers.
Many of these challenges stemmed from Crochet’s reluctance to rely on his changeup, leading him to focus pitches on the inside part of the plate against righties. If the splitter proves reliable, it will likely give Crochet the ability to pitch effectively around the entire strike zone, confusing hitters and reducing the quality of contact.
Potential Impact of the Splitter on Crochet’s Future Cy Young Hopes
The success of this transition to a splitter could be pivotal for Garrett Crochet’s trajectory as a pitcher. How well he can throw this new pitch regularly, and how often he incorporates it into his game plan, will be key factors to monitor during the 2026 season. This adjustment could tilt the scales in his favor for winning the American League Cy Young Award.
Though uncertainties remain about how quickly the splitter will integrate into his repertoire at peak effectiveness, Crochet’s physical gifts and previous dominance suggest that he is highly likely to earn the award at some point.
With the 2026 season ahead, Garrett Crochet’s evolution on the mound remains one of the most intriguing storylines in Major League Baseball, as fans and analysts watch to see if this promising star will claim the Cy Young trophy in the near future.
A new, minor twist for Garrett Crochet this season: His changeup (which he threw just 4% of the time last year) is now more of a splitter, thanks to a new grip he learned at Vanderbilt over the offseason.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) February 10, 2026
