Garrett Crochet’s first season as a starter without any sort of innings restriction was dominant.

The Red Sox ace went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA and 1.028 WHIP. He led the American League with 205⅓ innings pitched and his 255 strikeouts were the most in all of baseball.

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America believed that was good for the second best season in the AL, as Crochet finished as the Cy Young runner-up to Detroit’s Tarik Skubal.

Skubal went 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA and 0.891 WHIP, striking out 241 batters in 195⅓ innings pitched.

After winning the award for the second consecutive season, Skubal was asked whether having Crochet around pushes him. The Tigers ace said “yes and no,” but raved about Crochet’s season.

“He’s a great player and he’s one of the game’s best pitchers. His stuff is — you could argue it’s the best in the game," Skubal said. “But at the same time I’m not competing against him. I’m focused on the Detroit Tigers and trying to win baseball games. I don’t really care what award you win, it’s if you win the last game of the year and the World Series.

“But yeah, it’s great to have other really good pitchers. He’s a really good dude too, getting to know him a little bit. He had a hell of a year, too. Hell of a year.”