February and March are the best time of year (well, not weather wise), as we get into some heated fantasy baseball debates. Who is number one overall? Do you punt stolen bases? Draft elite closers or chase the closer carousel all season? Another great one is who is the top starting pitcher. While there are a few options, we are going to discuss two of the best and go over the pros and cons to Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet. They both seem like great choices, and likely are, but when it is your turn in the first round of the draft and you have decided to start with pitching, which guy do you take?
Garrett Crochet (Red Sox)
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There seems to be a perception out there that Crochet gets the boost for a likely higher win total because he is on the Red Sox which led him to 18 wins last season. However, Boston only won two more games than the Tigers last year, and Skubal had 18 wins back in 2024, so I am not sure that the Red Sox are going to be so substantially better that it will impact Skubal’s win total in a negative way.
Crochet is likely to have the edge in strikeouts as he racked up 255 in 2025 and his K/9 in 2024 was 12.9, while Skubal has consistently been in the 11.0-11.3 range. Crochet is three years younger, with a few hundred less innings on his arm. You truly never know when a pitcher is going to have arm trouble, but less wear is a good thing.
Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
Unfortunately, I think that is where the advantages end for Mr. Crochet. Tarik Skubal has had an ERA under 3.00 since 2023 and it has dropped three years in a row. He walks almost no one, and his WHIP has been under 0.900 for three straight seasons. Let that one sink in!
He plays in a more pitcher friendly park outside of that ridiculous triangle in deep center in Boston. Down both lines are quite short in Boston, although the Monster does eat up some long balls with its 37 feet of girth. The American League East is a bear to go against, and Crochet will face the Blue Jays and Yankees more often than Skubal will. The East had four of the top eight scoring teams in the American League. One is Boston that he won’t face but there are some thumpers in that division.
Skubal led the American League in WAR last season and led the entire Majors the year before that. He is coming off back-to-back Cy Young Award winning seasons and should be equally competitive this year. His changeup is lethal, and his fastball is one of the league’s best.
Final Verdict
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There are many decisions that you make during a fantasy baseball draft that impact the final standings of your league. Who to start your starting pitching staff may seem like an innocuous one, but to me there is a clear winner.
Garrett Crochet is going to be a great workhorse to start your fantasy rotation with, but Tarik Skubal is most likely to be better than him in almost every category that counts in your scoring system. He is worth his first round average draft position and will be the No. 1 fantasy pitcher again in 2026.
People Also Ask About Skubal vs Crochetin Fantasy Baseball
Who is better for 2026 fantasy: Skubal or Crochet?
Skubal provides stronger ERA/WHIP insulation, while Crochet offers more strikeout and potential win upside.
What are Tarik Skubal’s 2026 projections?
Approximately 195 IP, 14 wins, 2.72 ERA, and 238 strikeouts based on early projection models.
What is Garrett Crochet’s 2026 ADP?
Around pick No. 10 overall, reflecting high strikeout value with frontline SP pricing.
What should managers monitor in spring training?
Garrett Crochet’s velocity and workload indicators; Tarik Skubal’s command consistency and pitch efficiency.
Will Garrett Crochet have an innings limit in 2026?
A soft cap around 180-200 innings is possible following last season’s 205 IP workload.
Where does Tarik Skubal rank among 2026 fantasy pitchers?
He profiles as an SP1 in most tier systems and a top-10 overall fantasy asset.