FORT MYERS, Fla. — It’s no surprise Garrett Crochet will be the Opening Day starter for the Boston Red Sox when the team opens the season in Cincinnati on March 26, the earliest manager Alex Cora has ever made the announcement. Yet one surprise Crochet revealed on Monday as pitchers and catchers reported to camp is something he’ll be incorporating in that first start: a new pitch.
Crochet worked to morph his changeup, which he used roughly 4 percent of the time last year, into a splitter after he received guidance from Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey and coach Devin Rose over the offseason. The pair sent him videos and different grips to try. Crochet, a Tennessee native who works out in the offseason with new rotation mate Sonny Gray at Vanderbilt University, also got valuable input on the splitter grip from a Vanderbilt baseball staff member.
“It’s kind of more of a splitter now than it has been in the past,” Crochet said of his old changeup. “I felt like I was always pretty timid to buy into that pitch, they kind of scare you growing up that it’ll give you the elbow bug, but I found one grip that works for me, and I’ve been recovering really well.”
Crochet said his other main focus this offseason has been on honing his glove-side command with his four-seamer and cutter.
Last season was transformational for Crochet, who joined the Red Sox via trade, signed a six-year, $170 million extension, led the club with 200 innings and finished second to Detroit’s Tarik Skubal in American League Cy Young voting. On the personal side, he and his wife welcomed a baby girl into their family in November.
The Red Sox are hoping to keep mostly the same approach with Crochet this season, working in extra off days and likely shortening some starts early in the season. (Brian Fluharty / Getty Images)
Despite all the success, Crochet is still taking a humble approach by learning a new pitch to level up his game and not taking the Opening Day role for granted.
“I’m still trying to work like I’m making the team,” he said. “To start for this team on Opening Day again is a pretty cool feeling.”
The Red Sox are hoping to keep mostly the same approach with Crochet this season, working in extra off days and likely shortening some starts early in the season (like the 85-pitch start against the New York Mets last May) to help him stay strong late into the year. Crochet’s 2.59 ERA and 255 strikeouts over 32 starts to finish last year were evidence that their plan worked.
The Red Sox ace said he’s planning to take another step forward in 2026, but declined to share his goals publicly.
“I think to externalize those thoughts kind of takes away from the magic of the drive that you know they give you,” he said. “There’s some stuff on the list. Definitely. Always.”
Kiner-Falefa embracing super-utility role
Most players open camp vying for a starting role on their respective teams. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, whose one-year deal with the Red Sox became official Tuesday, is eager to embrace a super-utility bench role, strengthening the team’s infield defense.
A Gold Glove winner at third base, the 30-year-old is expected to see time at second, third and shortstop. He also offered to catch and play the outfield. The latter positions may have been suggested in jest, but his presence in the infield undoubtedly raises the floor defensively for the Red Sox as they’ve doubled down on their pitching-and-defense approach.
When he agreed to the deal last week, Kiner-Falefa knew it would be for a bench role as the Red Sox informed him they were still seeking a starting infielder. They traded for Caleb Durbin days later.
“I think I’m best as a true utility player,” he said. “Not many people can do it. You see the Kikés (Hernandez), the Chris Taylors, Brock Holts, these guys who’ve had so much success, and they’re valuable, valuable players. So having that opportunity to really dive into that utility role, instead of just playing one position and being a mid position player, I get to focus on being one of the top utility players in the league.”
Kiner-Falefa said he joked with Ceddanne Rafaela about Rafaela not playing second base so that Kiner-Falefa could qualify for the utility Gold Glove award. Kiner-Falefa figures to rotate through the infield spots to give Durbin, Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story days off at their respective positions. Story, in particular, is expected to play fewer than the 155 games he played last season to keep him healthy.
Kiner-Falefa, who called former Red Sox players Holt and Shane Victorino mentors, also viewed the chance to work with hitting coaches Pete Fatse and Dillon Lawson as part of the reason to sign with the Red Sox. Lawson was Kiner-Falefa’s hitting coach on the Yankees and helped him implement a leg kick during the 2022-23 season that helped him find more stability at the plate.
“Dillon helped me so much, getting back to where I was able to sign a two-year deal in Toronto (in 2024-25),” Kiner-Falefa said. “There are a lot of good hitting staffs out there, but I really trust Dillon and Fatse to get me back to being an everyday player, everyday utility player.”
Kiner-Falefa was also intrigued by watching Rob Refsnyder’s career take off in Boston. Refsnyder carved out a role as a valuable bench player with a strength in hitting against lefties. He signed a one-year deal with Seattle this offseason.
“The way Refsnyder bounced around and then landed a great deal is a good example for me to see how the Red Sox develop hitters, not just young guys, but the middle-aged players,” he said. “Romy (Gonzalez), the things that he’s been able to do too. So, just looking across the roster, the steps that the young guys make, the veterans, the middle players, it was very eye-opening for me. I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”
Kristian Campbell to see most time in outfield
As the Red Sox enter camp with four big-league outfielders and a slew of infielders competing for roster spots, Kristian Campbell’s fit remains in question.
Aside from Kiner-Falefa, the Red Sox have Romy Gonzalez, Nick Sogard, Nate Eaton and newcomers Tsung-Che Cheng, Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler also competing for bench spots alongside Campbell.
On Tuesday, Cora clarified that while Campbell will still do individual work at second and third base with infield coach José Flores, almost all of his playing time in games will be in the outfield this spring.
“I don’t think he’s gonna play the infield,” Cora said. “He’s gonna play mostly outfield, but we cannot forget about the infield part of it because you never know what can happen. All his work will be in the outfield. But individual (side) work will be with Flo whenever he can. It’s one-on-one, attention to detail and see how it looks.”
As the Red Sox seek to keep Campbell’s defensive profile versatile, the most important thing is getting his bat back on track. This offseason, the Red Sox worked to quiet Campbell’s swing and have him produce a more fluid action. He spent time in winter ball in Puerto Rico working on the swing, and the Red Sox hope the work carries over to camp.
“Let’s get (the bat) going,” Cora said. “I think that’s his calling card. Last year, he made the team because we thought he was gonna hit. He hit for a little bit, and then he struggled, and he knows it, and now it’s just a matter of hopefully the adjustments he made and the suggestions that we gave him can translate in between the lines. In the cage, in BP, it looks great. Now. We have to do it in the game.”