Rapid reaction to the Boston Red Sox acquiring All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet in a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox...
Craig Breslow promised fans an ace, and he just delivered.
Crochet is what our buddy Lou Merloni refers to as a "pig," because his stuff is so filthy. The left-hander struck out over 35 percent of the hitters he faced in 2024, and he does it with an arsenal that nicely marries the old school and new, relying primarily on an upper-90s fastball, a cutter, and a developing sweeper.
Crochet is what Josh Beckett was nearly two decades ago when the Red Sox acquired him from the Marlins for a package headlined by Hanley Ramirez. Beckett led the Red Sox to the 2007 World Series in his second year in Boston, and it's safe to say the Red Sox have no regrets there.
Crochet is every bit as talented, but nowhere near as proven. Whereas Beckett had already won a World Series with Florida, Crochet really only has one full season to his name, and even that was effectively truncated by Chicago's decision to limit him to four innings per start after July 1.
Playing on the worst team in history, Crochet still managed to go 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA, and those numbers don't begin to describe his dominance. The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder dots the corners with 99 mph fastballs, breaks bats with 92 mph cutters, and freezes hitters with back-foot or backdoor 83 mph sweepers. His stuff is breathtaking, and Red Sox fans are in for a legitimate treat.
All gas ⛽️
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) June 14, 2024
A new career-high 13 strikeouts for Garrett Crochet pic.twitter.com/wHfHxB1ENm
There are negatives, though.
After jumping straight from the 2020 draft to the big leagues and routinely throwing 100 mph fastballs, Crochet underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2022 season. He returned in 2023 to make 13 relief appearances before finally making his starting debut last season. He took the ball 32 times, but tossed seven innings exactly twice.
There's no doubt Crochet has the stuff to be an ace, but he has yet to hold up for a full season in the rotation, as the White Sox wisely limited his innings. He'll get that chance in Boston, and we'll see if he can withstand the rigors of being a big-market ace.
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There's also the matter of his contract. While Crochet remains under team control through 2026, the Red Sox will want to think extension sooner rather than later, but that will require some serious calculus. Pay him too soon, and an injury could lock in a bad contract. Pay him too late, and the price could soar.
But considering where their rotation was a day ago, this is a good problem to have.
Speaking of their rotation, here's what it now looks like: Crochet, followed by All-Star Tanner Houck, right-handers Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford, and Crochet's old teammate, rehabbing veteran Lucas Giolito. It wouldn't be a surprise if the Red Sox add another starter, and we should note that former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes remains available for a deal that will certainly top $200 million, if the Red Sox want to spend it.
As for the cost, it was steep. The Red Sox traded catcher Kyle Teel, a top-25 overall prospect, as well as outfielder Braden Montgomery, their first-round pick in the 2024 draft. Middle infielder Chase Meidroth just posted an .838 OPS in his Triple-A debut, while right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez is a wild card with great stuff and spotty command.
By MLB Pipeline's rankings, those were the team's 4th, 5th, 11th, and 14th-rated prospects, respectively. That's no joke.
It's hard to imagine that Breslow's predecessor, the notorious prospect hoarder Chaim Bloom, would've made the deal. But then again, Bloom's reluctance to deal from an impressive prospect inventory is what left Breslow in a position to do so.
It may not be Juan Soto, but look at it this way: When the offseason ends, Crochet will probably be the most talented pitcher to change teams, and the Red Sox just got him.
