Who owned the mound on Day 1: Crochet or Skubal?

Rodney Knuppel

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Who owned the mound on Day 1: Crochet or Skubal? image

The first day of the Wild Card round had everything you’d want in October baseball. Tight games, high drama, and two left-handed aces putting on absolute clinics. Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox and Tarik Skubal of the Tigers didn’t just win, they dominated. But the question is, who was more overpowering? Let’s break down the numbers.

Garrett Crochet’s statement in the Bronx

Crochet was making his first career postseason start, and you’d never know it from the way he handled the Yankees. He threw a career-high 117 pitches across 7.2 innings, giving up just one run on four hits. His line:

  • 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K

  • 17 consecutive batters retired

  • Fastest pitch: 100.2 mph

  • Total pitches: 117 (career high)

Crochet’s dominance was consistent. He didn’t walk a single batter, and at one point retired 17 straight Yankees, something no pitcher had done to New York in the playoffs since 1952. He punched out 11 without showing a crack until his final inning, ending his night with a 100 mph fastball on the black.

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Tarik Skubal’s record-setting night in Cleveland

If Crochet was surgical, Skubal was a flamethrower. The Tigers’ ace tied a franchise postseason record with 14 strikeouts in Detroit’s 2-1 win over Cleveland. He looked untouchable most of the night, overpowering hitters with velocity that actually climbed deeper into the game.

  • 7.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 14 K

  • Tied Tigers postseason record for strikeouts (14)

  • Hit 100 mph 11 times (5 in the 7th inning)

  • Fastest pitch: 101.2 mph

Skubal faced 28 batters, and only three got the ball out of the infield. In the seventh, with his pitch count high, he struck out the side, all on heaters hitting triple digits. He gave up just one run on a weak infield hit and left the Guardians swinging at shadows.

The verdict

Both lefties delivered postseason gems. Crochet set the tone in Yankee Stadium with command and efficiency, but Skubal’s outing felt historic. He tied a record that stood for 53 years, overpowered hitters late, and looked like the most dominant pitcher in baseball.

Crochet controlled his game. Skubal overwhelmed his.

Either way, October just found its two biggest pitching storylines.

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Rodney Knuppel

Rodney Knuppel is a freelance writer for The Sporting News. When not watching, listening or writing about sports, Rodney enjoys following the travels of his three kids, who are all active in their own sports and activities. A huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, Rodney also enjoys St. Louis Blues hockey and is a big Kansas Jayhawks basketball fan.