Garrett Crochet followed up his transition to full-time starter in 2024 by joining the Boston Red Sox via offseason trade and putting together one of the most dominant campaigns of any pitcher in 2025.
He finished the year with 18 wins, a 2.59 earned run average, a 1.03 WHIP, and 255 strikeouts across 205 1/3 innings, while issuing only 46 walks. The left-hander led all starters in strikeouts and showed that his breakout was no fluke.
What to Expect from Garrett Crochet in 2026 Fantasy Baseball
Even with a workload that jumped by nearly 60 innings compared to the previous season, Crochet continued to overpower hitters with premium velocity and sharp command. His fastball averaged 97.6 mph, which is near the top of the league for left-handed starters, and his strike-throwing held steady.
A 5.7% walk rate placed him among the 10 most efficient starters in limiting free passes, reinforcing that his control is more than just adequate for a power pitcher. When paired with strikeout totals that led all qualified starters, that mix of velocity, swing-and-miss, and command makes him one of the most difficult starting pitchers for opponents to game plan against.
In fantasy baseball points leagues, that skill set translates directly into scoring stability.
Crochet has the swing-and-miss talent to post double-digit strikeouts in any given start, but he also avoids the volatile walk totals that can erase points in less favorable scoring formats.
His ability to work deep into outings adds additional value, since innings have strong point-scoring weight across most settings. Few starters can offer that blend of high ceiling and reliable weekly floor, which is why he projects as a priority arm in 2026 drafts.
Crochet is only 26 years old and preparing for his third year as a full-time starter, which leaves open the possibility for even more refinement. The foundation is already that of a frontline rotation anchor with elite strikeout upside, and his efficiency should help keep ratios in check even if his usage is managed more cautiously at times.
Based on his 2025 performance, he enters 2026 as a leading candidate for the American League Cy Young Award and one of the most desirable starters in points formats.
The lone concern is whether Boston chooses to taper his workload early after a heavy 2025 volume, but the combination of velocity, strikeout rates, and command is rare enough that fantasy managers will gladly accept that minor risk.
As far as pitcher hierarchy for fantasy baseball points leagues, I rank him at Tier 2 only under Tarik Skubal and higher than Paul Skenes, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Cristopher Sánchez.
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