The Boston Red Sox have been playing meaningless baseball for too long and it’s time for the front office to take action.
Last winter, it looked like Boston was finally about to make the additions needed to turn things around before Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow decided to take a more conservative approach, contributing to another lackluster season.
Fortunately, speculation indicates that this winter will be different for Boston. The latest exciting entry places the Red Sox as favorites to land one of the most coveted young pitchers in the league.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – SEPTEMBER 28: Detailed view of the weight of a baseball bat with the Boston Red Sox logo during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 28, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Sports Image/Getty Images)
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“With so much depth of high-quality role players, ‘there’s a widespread feeling that the (Red) Sox could trade for almost anyone,’ according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe,” MLB.com reported Thursday. “Many starters could be options for the pitching-needy Red Sox, but one who stands out is (Chicago) White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet.
Crochet posted a 6-12 record with a 3.58 ERA, a 209-33 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a .222 batting average and 1.07 WHIP in 146 innings pitched for the White Sox in 2024.
The talented left-handed pitcher is reportedly attracting more interest from other teams than at this summer’s trade deadline, when he was heavily pursued by big-market clubs looking to bolster their rotation to get deep into the playoffs.
The 25-year-old made it known that he would not pitch in the postseason if he were traded to a contender, which led to Crochet finishing the year with the worst team in baseball history, the White Sox, with 121 losses.
While Boston’s rotation ranked 7th with a 3.81 ERA this season, it could use an upgrade after a shaky 2024 campaign that showed the Red Sox still need a bona fide ace .
According to SpotracThe youngster already has a projected market value of around $129 million on a seven-year contract, which translates to nearly $18 million per year. Luckily, Crochet is under team control through 2026, so Boston won’t have to worry about committing to him long-term if they can acquire the ace from the White Sox this winter.
The trade for Crochet will likely cost the Red Sox several key prospects, so it will be interesting to see if Breslow is willing to sacrifice potential future pieces for the left-handed phenom.
More MLB: Yankees reportedly could get $242M star depending on Phenom decision – Newsweek
