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Alex Cora Makes Unexpected Chris Sale Comment to Begin Red Sox Spring Training

The Red Sox manager made an interesting comparison between Chris Sale and Garrett Crochet.

By Jovan Alford

Aug 16, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) stands in the dugout during the first inning of the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Aug 16, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) stands in the dugout during the first inning of the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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The Boston Red Sox made one of the bigger splash moves of the offseason, acquiring All-Star starting pitcher Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for four top prospects from Boston’s farm system, including Kyle Teel and Braeden Montgomery.

The Red Sox desperately needed to make this move as they didn’t have a bonafide ace to lead their starting rotation. Last year, the Red Sox’s best-starting pitchers were Tanner Houck (9-10, 3.12 ERA) and Brayan Bello (14-8, 4.49 ERA).

However, neither Houck nor Bello are aces but they could be good Nos. 2 and 3s behind a pitcher like Crochet. Crochet had an outstanding 2024 season with the White Sox, despite his name circulating in rumors ahead of the trade deadline last summer.

On Tuesday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora made a bold comparison at spring training, invoking the name of Chris Sale when speaking about Crochet. According to Boston Sports Gordo, the Red Sox manager said, “(Garrett Crochet) looks like Chris Sale but stronger.”

Cora also added that he hopes Sale isn’t offended by the comparison. The veteran manager’s use of the term is not surprising, as both players are southpaws and, coincidentally, played with the White Sox. 

Nonetheless, Red Sox fans hope the former White Sox starter can live up to what Sale did in Boston. Before trading Sale in Dec. 2023 to the Atlanta Braves, the veteran spent six seasons in Boston. He had a 46-30 record and a 3.00 ERA in 115 starts.

Sale started his Red Sox career with back-to-back All-Star Game appearances and helped the team win a title in 2018. However, the injury bug caught up to Sale in his latter years with the Red Sox, but it doesn’t take away what he did in Boston.

Red Sox fans hope the same thing doesn’t happen with Crochet, who showed last season that he can be a strikeout machine. He had 209 strikeouts in 146 innings pitched in his first full year as a starter.

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