Garrett Crochet: Red Sox Reunion on the Horizon: Lefty Aims to Recreate Magic in Boston
The Boston Red Sox’s biggest move of the offseason so far was to acquire pitcher Garrett Crochet from the White Sox. If Crochet has his way, he may not play anywhere else.
According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, Crochet said that signing a long-term deal with the Red Sox “would have a lot of merit” to him. Speier also relayed that there have been some preliminary discussions with Crochet’s representatives and the front office although nothing is imminent.
If Crochet were to sign a long-term deal to remain in Boston, it would be a case of history repeating itself. The Red Sox and White Sox made a similar trade during the 2016-17 offseason, with pitcher Chris Sale heading to Boston in exchange for four well-regarded prospects. Sale had three years of team control left at the time of the deal and eventually signed a five-year extension ahead of the 2019 season.
Crochet has two years of team control left but is in a similar situation. He was acquired for a quartet of highly regarded prospects to be the Red Sox ace. Crochet was compared to Sale when he was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. Sale and Crochet were named the Comeback Players of the Year in their respective leagues after battling injuries in 2023.
Crochet showed that there was merit to that comparison in his first year as a starter. A first-time All-Star in 2024, Crochet posted a 3.58 ERA and a 1.068 WHiP in his 146 innings, striking out 209 batters with 33 walks. While he does not have the same track record Sale did at the time of his trade, Crochet has the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation arm in his own right.
The Red Sox are likely hoping history repeats itself in another way as well. Two years after the trade, Sale was a key part of the Red Sox 2018 World Series winning team, striking out the side in the ninth inning to close out Game Five. Maybe Crochet can follow Sale’s path with the Red Sox as well.
