FORT MYERS, Fla. — Tennessee alum Garrett Crochet and Vanderbilt legend Sonny Gray are willing to put their collegiate rivalry aside in an effort to bring out the best of each other in the Red Sox rotation this season.
"It's tough," Gray said, laughing. "I just try not to think about it."
The two starters, nearly a decade apart in age, might have gone to rival schools but now share a common goal as part of a three-headed monster that also includes Ranger Suárez at the top of Boston 's rotation. In fact, Crochet and Gray didn't waste much time getting to know each other after the Sox acquired Gray from the Cardinals in a trade that was finalized days before Thanksgiving . Both Nashville residents decided to start meeting up at Gray's alma mater, working out together at Vanderbilt's facility.
"I learned that he just had a brand new baby," Gray said. "I learned we live about 15 minutes apart. I just got to spend time with him."
Gray went back to his old stomping grounds to throw winter bullpen sessions on Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the winter and Crochet joined him approximately four or five times. At the Commodores' pro-like facility, the two pitchers talked shop and got familiar with each other. Now in spring training, the relationship already has a strong foundation.
"It's been great, man," Crochet said. "He's a fun guy to watch just practice every day."
Crochet, 26, is a 6-foot-6 lefty and Gray, 36, is a 5-foot-10 righty, but the two starters have some shared experiences. Both were All-Stars with top-three Cy Young finishes in their age-25 seasons, with Gray finishing third back in 2015 with the A's and Crochet finishing as the runner-up to Tarik Skubal a year ago. Gray has nearly 1,500 more big league innings under his belt than Crochet does, meaning Boston's ace might just learn a thing or two from his new rotation mate. That process began in Nashville where Crochet quickly came to see how Gray's obsessive attention to detail — including nitpicking catcher setups and other factors that impacted his bullpens — helped him thrive.
"Throwing the bullpens, not to take away from it, but it's kind of like comedy," Crochet said. "I love it. He's very in tune with himself and what he wants to do as far as the little minutia I don't really consider myself a master of, or even fully aware of."
Crochet and Gray first met last year but didn't start really getting to know each other until they exchanged texts following the trade in November. As a member of the Cardinals, Gray only got to see Crochet's dominant 2025 from afar . Up close, he has gained a greater appreciation for the pitcher Red Sox teammates call "Beast."
"Talking with him, he's a competitor, he's a great dude and a great human being," Gray said. "He checks every box as far as, this is a guy who's going to lead the staff. I look forward to spending more time and getting into a baseball environment full-time.
"There's not a lot of guys that have been like him or will be like him as far as what he's able to offer on the mound. He just reminds me of all of the guys that I've been with — whether position players or pitchers — the guys who have been and turned into superstars in the league. Carries himself with confidence, smiles, has a good time, ultra-competitor, and as far as physical tools, is off the charts."
Gray is a three-time All-Star who finished second in the Cy Young race three seasons ago in Minnesota . S uárez is also a former All-Star with plenty of postseason experience and Brayan Bello was Boston's Opening Day starter just two years ago. There's no question, though, about the identity of the club's No. 1 starter.
"I don't think there's a ceiling for him," Gray said. "I think he can be, and has been, the best pitcher in baseball. I look forward to following him and working alongside him and learning from him and teaching him and competing with him. He can be whatever he sets his mind to be."
The Red Sox expect their new-look rotation to be their main strength in 2026. With Crochet, Suárez, Gray and Bello leading a group that also could include Johan Oviedo , Kutter Crawford , Patrick Sandoval , Payton Tolle and Connelly Early , the club would seem to have a real chance of having baseball's most dominant starting group.
"You've got a guy at the top who's just as good — if not better — than anybody in the league," Gray said. "As you keep going down, you've got guys who have pitched at the top of rotations, pitched in the playoffs, have had a lot of success in their careers. It's hard to say. On paper, it's as good as I've been a part of."
Crochet concurred.
"One of the real benefits of the staff we're bringing in this year is the competitiveness amongst each other," he said. "Obviously, not in a malicious way, but when you're following up a guy that has gone seven shutty (shutout innings) and punching out 11, you want to do the same."
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