Garrett Crochet was on the hill for the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, May 4, closing out a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins.
And he managed five innings of 1-run ball despite a scary line drive that deflected off his cheek and nose during inning number four.
After the game, manager Alex Cora provided a brief but positive injury update on the key rotational arm.
"Yeah, the ball hit [Crochet]. The ball hit him in the nose," Cora first confirmed during the postgame press conference (video via WEEI's Tom Carroll). He also revealed that Crochet's nose is not broken.
"[Crochet is] okay, obviously grinded through the last [inning]," the Red Sox manager added. "And the way we were lined up, it just made sense [to take him out after five]. [89] pitches, that [comebacker] happens, so we moved on to the next level and [we] just weren't able to finish it."
A reporter went on to question Cora on Crochet's performance as a whole, specifically asking about his "command" and overall efficiency.
After admitting that Crochet's 2 walks "put him in a bad spot," Cora said that the Red Sox starter "didn't realize" his pitch count was so high.
"He was efficient early on, and then he had to work hard to get the outs in the fifth," the manager concluded.
Per Carroll, Cora was not concerned with Crochet's velocity being a "tick" lower on Sunday, according to a reporter's question.
Crochet allowed 4 hits and 1 earned run (a first-inning home run) versus the Twins, striking out 6.
On the 2025 season, the newly minted $170 million ace has pitched to an impressive 2.02 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. He's 3-2 and picked up a no-decision on May 4 as Boston fell to Minnesota by a score of 5-4.
