CLEVELAND — White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet made another splash Wednesday, receiving American League Pitcher of the Month honors for June.
Crochet, 25, went 1-1 with a 1.91 ERA, 56 strikeouts and only six walks over six starts last month. He’s the first Sox pitcher to earn the award since Dylan Cease did it consecutively in June and July 2022.
In his first season as a starter, Crochet led the majors in strikeouts and ranked fourth among AL leaders both in ERA and strikeout-to-walk ratio (9.33) in June. His 56 strikeouts were the second-highest by a Sox pitcher in June, behind Chris Sale’s 75 in 2015.
“It’s cool,” Crochet said. “Receiving the notoriety is cool.”
Crochet is now 6-6 with a 3.02 ERA, 20 walks and 141 strikeouts over 18 starts for the 25-63 Sox, who defeated the Guardians 8-2 on Wednesday night. He’s the only pitcher since at least 1901 with 140-plus strikeouts and 20 or fewer walks over his first 18 starts.
“He’s been phenomenal,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “The way he’s picked up everything that you can possibly think of from that starting position has been remarkable. Control of the running game, fielding his position, economizes pitches, game plans with the best of them.
“This month, well deserved, one of the best pitchers in the game.”
Crochet is 5-2 with a 1.49 ERA and 94 strikeouts since May 5. During that span, he led all pitchers in ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per nine innings and OPS (.491).
“He has learned how to not overthink it,” Grifol said. “He’s got four pitches, at times he uses two, at times he uses four. Knows how to make adjustments in between innings. He’s been great, well-deserved. Last month he missed it by a little bit.”
When Grifol named Crochet his Opening Day starter, it came as a surprise because he hadn’t started and hadn’t pitched in 2022 and pitched 12 2/3 innings in 2023 coming off injuries, including Tommy John surgery.
Now he’s sailing along toward an All-Star Game selection, and as the Sox monitor Crochet’s workload, a sizable rest will be allowed around the All-Star break to afford him the opportunity to pitch.
“We have it mapped out in a way where if he’s selected to the All-Star Game, he’ll be available to pitch,” Grifol said. “That’s extremely important.
“If it’s his 10th All-Star Game, not worried about it. Your first All-Star Game? Me being around that environment a couple of times [as a Royals coach], and seeing guys here for a first time and how exciting they were to participate in that game and do that, it’s an experience you have to do whatever you can to provide for the player.”
Christopher Sanchez of the Phillies is the NL Pitcher of the Month. Aaron Judge of the Yankees and Bryce Harper of the Phillies are the Players of the Month in the AL and NL, respectively.
Starters pushed back
Originally scheduled to pitch the series finale against the Guardians on Thursday, Drew Thorpe was instead moved to Friday in Miami, with Thursday’s spot to be filled by Jared Shuster. Thorpe will have six days’ rest for his fifth major-league start, Crochet will have five days’ rest for his start Saturday, and Jonathan Cannon will have seven for his start Sunday.
“An extra day for everybody,” Grifol said. “We’re going to be looking at this. We have the luxury of having three or four long guys in the pen and if they’re available.”
Clevinger update
Right-hander Mike Clevinger (neck) is with the Sox in Cleveland but was expected to go out for a minor-league rehab start “in the next day or so,” Grifol said, possibly returning to the team next week.
