Red Sox's Garrett Crochet nearly throws no-hitter vs. former team

Crochet's no-hitter bid ended when White Sox third base Chase Meidroth singled to left field off an 89 mph cutter in the bottom of the eighth inning. He was just five outs away from a no-hitter. 

Red Sox manager Alex Cora then pulled him, and fans at Rate Field applauded him. He finished with 11 strikeouts, one error and one walk.

Boston beat Chicago 3-1, improving to 8-9. Crochet now has a 1-1 record this season. 

The 25-year-old played for the White Sox from 2020-24, posting a 3.29 ERA and making the 2024 All-Star Game. This offseason, Boston acquired Crochet in a trade that involved four prospects and signed him to a six-year, $170M extension.

On Saturday, Crochet said he loved playing for the club but admitted leaving it wasn't difficult. Chicago, of course, hasn't made the postseason since 2021.

"For me, it was not very hard to move on, honestly," Crochet said, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. "Especially with going to the Red Sox, such a storied franchise. I was excited, quite frankly, and I still am for what this team could accomplish this season."

Despite the slow start, FanDuel Sportsbook gives the Red Sox the third-best odds (+700) to win the American League. Crochet building off his performance against Chicago would help Boston stay in the hunt.