Garrett Crochet named American League Comeback Player of the Year

LAS VEGAS – Chicago White Sox left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet has been named 2024 American League Comeback Player of the Year, announced tonight as part of the All-MLB Weekend in Las Vegas. The award, presented annually since 2005 to one player in each league who has re-emerged on the field during the season, was selected by 30 club beat reporters from MLB.com.

Crochet, 25, went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA (58 ER/146.0 IP) and 209 strikeouts over 32 starts in 2024, his first season as a starting pitcher, after missing most of 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Among pitchers with at least 140.0 IP, Crochet led the AL in strikeouts per 9.0 IP (12.88) and ranked among the leaders in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2nd, 6.33), strikeouts (4th), starts (T5th), WHIP (6th, 1.07), walks per 9.0 IP (8th, 2.03), opponents average (9th, .222) and opponents OPS (10th, .642). He became the 24th pitcher in White Sox history (eighth lefty) to record 200-plus strikeouts in a season, and his 12.88 strikeouts per 9.0 IP would have set the franchise record with the required IP.

Crochet struck out 10 or more batters six times and fanned more batters than innings pitched 23 times in 32 starts. Over a 13-start stretch from May 5-July 12, he was 5-2 with a 1.61 ERA (13 ER/72.2 IP), 103 strikeouts and a .189 (50-265) opponents average.

Crochet was named to his first AL All-Star Team, pitching a scoreless fourth inning at the Midsummer Classic on July 16 in Arlington, Texas. He joined Jack McDowell (1991-93), Chris Sale (2012-16) and Carlos Rodón (2021) as former Sox first-round selections to make the All-Star Team.

Crochet becomes the third player in White Sox history to win the Comeback Player of the Year Award, joining right-handed pitcher Liam Hendriks in 2023 and designated hitter Jim Thome in 2006. He originally was selected by the Sox in the first round (11th overall) of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft.