"It was a good one. We needed something like that” - Alex Cora reflects on Cooper Criswell's dominance after shutting down Guardians

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Cooper Criswell was impressive in his second outing of the season as he shut out the Cleveland Guardians over five innings on Wednesday. The Red Sox went on to win the game 8-0 and take the series 3-1, while the pitchers' efforts added their fourth shutout of the season so far.

In his second MLB start as a Boston pitcher, Criswell put in a dominant performance and earned the praise of manager Alex Cora:

"It was a good one. We needed something like that. Coop was amazing," said Cora after the game.

Cooper Criswell was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2018 MLB Draft and went on to make his major league debut with them in 2021. The following year, he was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays, where he shuttled between the major and minor leagues. In December last year, the pitcher signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Red Sox and started the 2024 season in Triple-A.

Criswell made his second start for Boston on Wednesday and put on a strong showing to shut out the Guardians lineup, taking his record to 1-1 for the season. For a player who has spent much of his career in the minors, it looks like a season in which he can take his game to the next level. In five innings, the righty gave up three hits and got three strikeouts without conceding a run.

It is no wonder that manager Alex Cora took the time to single out the pitcher's performance, as it shows huge potential for the season ahead. A reliable starting arm is something they will need.

Cooper Criswell reflects on his impressive outing against the Guardians

Boston Red Sox starter Cooper Criswell turned heads around MLB with a dominant showing against the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday, taking his ERA down to 2.38 with 72 pitches on the night. Speaking to the media after the game, he said:

"Felt good... Wong called a great game and was able to get ahead of counts and had some success."

Reflecting back, Criswell also agreed that his cutter and change-up really worked for him, which helped him pull off the shutout. He was followed by Joely Rodriguez and Zack Kelly, who both pitched two scoreless innings each to earn an 8-0 victory for Boston.