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Ronel Blanco didn’t start many games in the minor leagues, only 34 out of 202, and mostly served as a backup starter in the majors. However, he surprised everyone by pitching a no-hitter in his first start of the 2024 season, which turned out to be the only complete game in the MLB that year.
Blanco now has a 0.86 ERA this season. The Astros are 3-0 when he starts and 3-11 when he doesn’t start.
Garrett Crochet, who was a starter during his time at Tennessee, took on a different role after being selected as the 11th overall draft pick in 2020. He went straight to the bullpen to assist the White Sox in their push for the playoffs. Despite experiencing injuries over four seasons, he continued as a reliever for 72 games. This year, he returned to starting and quickly became the leader in Fangraphs Wins Above Replacement after four starts.
For the past few years in Boston, there has been an ongoing discussion about whether pitchers like Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, and Garrett Whitlock should be starters or relievers. Crawford, who had some endurance concerns, along with Houck and Whitlock, known for their pitching arsenal, were all given the opportunity to start this season. Following Crawford’s impressive 5 ⅔ shutout innings against Cleveland on Monday, the trio had collectively achieved a remarkable 0.92 ERA in 10 starts.
