Garrett Crochet found himself in the Boston dugout the day before the playoffs kicked off as manager Alex Cora made a call to the bullpen. The pitcher confidently predicted to Cora that only one call would be needed the next day. Cora initially suggested two calls, but Crochet insisted it would go straight to Aroldis Chapman. Crochet’s bold statement was backed up by his performance on the mound, where he threw 117 pitches, the most in a postseason game in six years. He struck out 11 batters, walked none, and allowed four hits over 7 2/3 innings in a vintage display that helped the Red Sox secure a 3-1 victory over the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Series opener. After Crochet was pulled, Cora went directly to closer Aroldis Chapman, bypassing any setup men.
Crochet admitted to being arrogant about his prediction, which he didn’t actually expect to come true. The Yankees briefly took the lead with a homer by Anthony Volpe in the second inning, but Crochet quickly settled in, retiring 17 consecutive batters until Volpe’s single in the eighth inning. By then, Boston had taken a 2-1 lead, thanks to a walk and key hits by Ceddanne Rafaela, Nick Sogard, and Masataka Yoshida.
The game ended with Crochet delivering a blazing 100.2 mph full-count pitch that froze Austin Wells for a called third strike. Boston shortstop Trevor Story praised Crochet’s performance, calling him “the beast.” The winner of the series will advance to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.
In another AL Wild Card Series matchup, the Detroit Tigers defeated the Cleveland Guardians 2-1, with pitcher Tarik Skubal leading the charge. Skubal tied a franchise postseason record with 14 strikeouts, showcasing his determination and skill over 7 2/3 innings where he allowed just one run on three hits.
Meanwhile, in the NL Wild Card Series, the Chicago Cubs secured a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres, with Seiya Suzuki hitting a crucial home run to propel his team to victory. Suzuki’s emotional celebration after the home run highlighted his determination to make the most of his playoff opportunity.
The Los Angeles Dodgers started their NL Wild Card Series with a strong 10-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds, powered by two home runs each from Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez. Blake Snell struck out nine batters over seven innings, and the Dodgers tied a franchise postseason record with five home runs in the game, setting the stage for their bid to become the first back-to-back World Series champions in 25 years.
