In one of the least surprising Boston Red Sox news items on Tuesday, manager Alex Cora revealed that ace left-hander Garrett Crochet will start the team’s Opening Day game against the Cincinnati Reds on March 26.
Crochet also toed the rubber for the Red Sox’s season-opener last year, which means that the 2025 AL Cy Young runner-up will join a very short and impressive list of hurlers to start Opening Day in each of his first two campaigns with Boston.
“Garrett Crochet will be the 4th pitcher to start Opening Day in each of his first two seasons with Red Sox, joining: 1998-99 Pedro Martínez (did so in all 7 w/BOS) 1976-77 Ferguson Jenkins 1923-24 Howard Ehmke,” MLB.com’s Sarah Langs posted on Bluesky.
Right-hander Howard Ehmke spent three-plus seasons with the Red Sox from 1923 to 1926, earning the Opening Day nod in both of his first two years with the club.
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Hall-of-Famer Ferguson Jenkins played his prime years with the Chicago Cubs from 1966 to 1973 — earning the NL Cy Young in 1971 — but was a crucial part of Boston’s starting rotation in 1976 and 1977 as well.
The 83-year-old went 22-21 with a 3.47 ERA and 1.16 WHIP across 58 games (57 starts) with the Red Sox.
Hall-of-Famer Pedro Martinez is the most obvious member of the exclusive club, starting seven straight Opening Day games for Boston, spanning his entire career in Beantown from 1998 to 2004.
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Crochet is set to make his third consecutive Opening Day start, as he also earned the honor in 2024 with the Chicago White Sox.
