Sep 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after flying out during the third inning of game one of the Wildcard round of the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Aaron Judge Drops Message For Red Sox Ace Garrett Crochet

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 9:12 AM ET

The Boston Red Sox took down the New York Yankees on Tuesday night and now are one win away from advancing to the American League Division Series and knocking out their biggest rival in the process.

Boston made it through Tuesday's Game 1 matchup on the back of a historic performance from Garrett Crochet. He got the ball for Boston and delivered with one of the best playoff starts you are ever going to see. Crochet went 7 2/3 innings, struck out 11 batters, and allowed just one earned run and four base hits. He threw 117 pitches and Boston needed every single one of them. There were nerves after Anthony Volpe hit a home run in the in the second innings, but then Crochet proceeded to retire 17 batters in a row afterward to keep Boston in the game and give it enough time to take the lead.

The Red Sox took Game 1

After the game, Yankees superstar Aaron Judge had some massive praise for Crochet and called him the best pitcher in baseball.

"He's the best pitcher in the game," Judge said. "He's going to work all of his pitches. Work a little more offspeed in there early on. We got the Volpe homer but couldn't really get guys on there or do much after that."

Aaron Judge on the challenges of facing Garrett Crochet tonight:

"He's the best pitcher in the game" pic.twitter.com/D0mYdmaAEQ
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 1, 2025

That's some big praise coming from the best hitter on the planet. Even in a night in which the Yankees lost and could barely get guys on, Judge went 2-for-4 for New York. Crochet is in just his second season as a full-time starting pitcher and will be right up there with Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers for the American League Cy Young Award this year. It's unclear who will win the award, but it's at least close between these two aces.

Overall this season, Crochet went 18-5 to go along with a 2.59 ERA and 255-to-46 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 205 1/3 innings pitched. He was the ace Boston needed and he showed that in front of the world on Tuesday.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: