Amid spring competition, Fedde and Crochet rooting for each other
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TEMPE, Ariz. -- Erick Fedde and Garrett Crochet have something to prove.
The White Sox hurlers worked together this past offseason at PUSH Performance in Tempe, Ariz., at the outset of trying to achieve their respective starting goals, and they also developed a level of mutual mound admiration.
“Anybody watching him throw knows his stuff is just elite,” Fedde said of Crochet. “A one-of-a-kind player. We’re in locker rooms filled with professional athletes, and he sticks out. It’s pretty evident. He’s growing, he’s eager to learn. He just seems like a great guy.”
“If I could take anybody’s offspeed pitches, it would be his,” Crochet added of Fedde. “For sure.”
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Crochet is getting his first chance to start since he made 13 starts in 36 appearances for the University of Tennessee from 2018-20. Fedde struggled during his first MLB stint, posting a 5.41 ERA over 102 games (88 starts) for the Nationals from 2017-22, but has returned after a dominant ‘23 season in the KBO with a 20-6 record and a 2.00 ERA in 30 starts for the NC Dinos.
Fedde started the White Sox 3-1 loss to the Angels on Sunday afternoon at Tempe Diablo Stadium, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out three over two innings. It was just one of 32 Cactus League contests for Chicago, but it had a little extra meaning for the 31-year-old right-hander.
“I’m not going to lie to you. Of course I was a little bit excited, nervous,” Fedde said. “Felt like [I’m] finally back. Exciting is the right word. I was ready to go. Wanted to get that first one out of the way.
“I’ve been struggling with my sweeper all spring, and I felt like today it was good but my cutter wasn’t great. It led to the lefties having a lot of success. Now I have some real stuff to work on after seeing some real hitters.”
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After Fedde threw 24 of his 44 pitches for strikes, Crochet picked up with two hitless frames. The left-hander struck out the side in the third, getting Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon looking with perfectly located fastballs.
In his first start last Tuesday against the Dodgers, Crochet set down Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, with Ohtani striking out looking. But Crochet isn’t really worried about the names on the opposing jerseys or their respective resumes.
“There’s not really room for that emotion for me right now. Got to work and earn it. Just trying to put together a good spring and see what happens,” said Crochet, who threw 18 of his 29 pitches for strikes. “Right now I feel like I’m rocking on all cylinders.
“With the competition going this spring, I’m not really trying to get work in. I’m trying to get outs. Working on conviction in the strike zone and letting the hitters dictate the at-bats and taking the pressure off myself and putting it on them.”
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A little more starting certainty exists for Fedde, at least at the outset, since he came to the White Sox on a two-year, $15 million deal. But he’s not any less driven than the steely focus shown by Crochet.
Fedde wants to provide innings in a rotation beginning with Dylan Cease and figuring to include Michael Soroka, Michael Kopech and Chris Flexen. He wants to provide stability.
“I’ve seen it from other starting pitchers,” Fedde said. “I’ve played with guys like [Max] Scherzer, and he comes up to start and our bullpen is like, ‘Thank goodness, he’s giving us seven [innings].’
“I want to be that guy. I want to be somebody that gives people hope that our bullpen can have a restful day. That’s a big part of my job.”
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Where does Crochet fit? Factors such as his workload buildup and how he recovers from each appearance will help dictate that decision.
For now, manager Pedro Grifol won’t travel much further than that the 24-year-old southpaw is being used as a starter. Fedde is more than willing to expound on how Crochet’s vast ability supports his desire to fulfill a starter role after pitching 73 relief innings over three big league seasons, including a career-high 54 1/3 in 2021.
“Without a doubt, he’s a hard worker,” Fedde said. “Always in the gym, always working, always picking brains and electric stuff. As simple as it is.”
“The idea of an innings limit is kind of outdated,” Crochet said. “I think the five-day routine will be huge for me. I guess we’ll kind of see. … I’d say I came into Spring Training ready for the workload adjustment.”