The Boston Red Sox entered Spring Training with a starting rotation that looked like it was going to be an improved one after the club added Lucas Giolito in the offseason to be their ace.
However, not long into Spring Training, Giolito suffered an elbow injury that resulted in season-ending surgery and delayed his debut with Boston until 2025.
That moved everyone up in the rotation, and other injuries played a significant role in why the Red Sox weren't able to accomplish their team goal of making the postseason and playing October baseball for the first time since 2021.
With the 2024 season officially in the rearview, let's look back at the season that was for the five pitchers who made the most starts for Boston throughout the year.
Tanner Houck: A-
Houck made a big leap in 2024, starting 30 games for the first time in his career after beginning in Boston as a reliever. He posted a 3.12 ERA and a 1.142 WHIP while striking out 154 batters (7.8 per nine innings). While the All-Star may have fallen off and ran out of gas at the end of the season, he proved that he deserves a spot in the rotation going forward.
Brayan Bello: C
Bello started off the year slow, as he was the team's Opening Day starter. However, he was able to salvage the year and lower his ERA to 4.49. He also posted a 1.361 WHIP and struck out 153 batters (8.5 per nine innings) on his way to 30 starts. If he can slot in as the team's third or fourth starter in 2025, they should be in a good spot.
Nick Pivetta: C+
In what could be his final season with the Red Sox, Pivetta had one of his best years with the club, posting a 4.14 ERA and a 1.126 ERA while striking out 172 batters (10.6 per nine innings). His 27 appearances (26 starts) were his fewest in any full season in Boston. If he does leave for a new team this offseason, the Red Sox will miss his consistency.
Kutter Crawford: C+
Crawford switched back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen in 2022 and 2023 before becoming a full-time starting pitcher in 2024. He made the most starts in the MLB (33) and posted a 4.36 ERA and a 1.122 WHIP while striking out a team-high 175 batters (8.6 per nine). However, he did allow the most home runs in the league (34). Boston learned that they can count on Crawford to post this year, and he could be valuable as the team's final starter going forward.
Cooper Criswell: C+
Criswell was a meme for Red Sox fans in the offseason, as he was chief baseball officer Craig Breslow's first move after joining the club. However, after starting the year in Triple-A Worcester, he was a serviceable arm in Boston. He appeared in 26 games (starting 18) and posted a 4.08 ERA and a 1.349 WHIP while striking out 73 batters.
However, the splits between starter and reliever were drastic. Criswell was actually a solid option in the rotation and a poor weapon out of the bullpen. As a starter, he posted a 3.49 ERA with a 1.235 WHIP and a 7.1 K/9. As a reliever, those numbers jumped astronomically to a 7.53 ERA, 2.023 WHIP and his K/9 was nearly cut in half to 3.8.
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