Garrett Crochet is not only pitching like an All-Star, but a case could be made for him starting the game 19 days from now at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
The White Sox want to monitor Crochet’s workload, and the break would be a good time to rest a pitcher going through his first season as a starter, but manager Pedro Grifol wants him to have the opportunity, and as his schedule is lined up now, Crochet’s last start before the break could be July 12 against the Pirates at home. That would allow him to be fresh and more than able to pitch an inning in the Midsummer Classic.
“I think he’s one of the top five pitchers in the game,” Grifol said. “I don’t know who’s going to start that game; I know he needs to be pitching in that game. He’s deserving; it’s a great story.”
Grifol has had the All-Star Game and Crochet in mind for some time. Crochet leads the majors with 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings and is second with 130, the most by a Sox pitcher in his first 17 starts. He has a 1.56 ERA in his last six home starts and a 1.08 ERA in his last four on the road.
“His stats are unbelievable,” Grifol said. “The way he pounds the strike zone with that kind of stuff and delivery . . . opposing hitters say this guy is really difficult to see. It’s difficult to hit, it’s power stuff, it’s in the strike zone, boring in on your hands, it’s sinking away and it’s pretty damn good stuff.”
Crochet, 25, would join Jack McDowell (19991-93), Chris Sale (2012-16) and Carlos Rodon (2021) as Sox first round pitchers to make the All-Star team.
Cannon welcomes the extra day
Using a bullpen day against the Braves on Thursday pushed Drew Thorpe, Jonathan Cannon and Crochet back one day for the series against the Rockies this weekend, affording extra rest.
Cannon got knocked out in the second inning in his last start against the Tigers on Sunday. He allowed eight runs (seven earned) after giving up one run in his previous three outings, covering 18‰ innings.
He pitched on four days of rest after throwing 106 pitches in his previous start against the Astros but didn’t think that carried over to the Tigers game.
“I felt good, and I recovered really well, but it was one of those days,” Cannon said. “I felt really good this week. I didn’t throw that many pitches [46 at Detroit], and I’m getting an extra day before Saturday’s start.”
Cannon welcomes the extra day.
“It’s a long season, so when you get an extra day, it’s nice, especially moving from the minor leagues, where it’s more six-day, and you get a five-day, like, once a month,” he said.
Reviewing that last start, Cannon said he simply threw too many fat pitches to a team that was aggressive from the get-go. He focused on execution during his bullpen session Wednesday.
“We didn’t see any pitch in particular or anything that stood out too much,” Cannon said. “That stuff happens. Move forward and on to the next one.”
Sheets’ heel
Gavin Sheets jammed his left heel making an abrupt stop around second base Wednesday and will be out of the lineup for at least another day.
“Hopefully, it’s just a day-to-day [thing], and I can get back as soon as possible,” Sheets said.
“We are working on getting some padding and stuff on it to get it as comfortable as possible in cleats. Get some meds in me and get something that works in the shoe and go from there.”