March 28: While talks are on pause because of Crochet’s self-imposed Opening Day cutoff, it seems the sides got relatively close. Crochet tells WEEI’s Rob Bradford that discussions went “down to the wire” and that he didn’t feel there was a large gap. Asked by Bradford if that provided reason for optimism whenever talks resume — presumably next offseason — Crochet replied that was “definitely fair to say.”
March 27: Earlier this month, newly-acquired Red Sox southpaw Garrett Crochet set a deadline of Opening Day in extension talks with his new club. With Crochet scheduled to take the mound for Boston against the Rangers this afternoon, that deadline has now passed and it seems as though no deal is in place between the sides. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo relays that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporters “not to expect” a Crochet extension at this point, while WEEI’s Rob Bradford adds that Breslow said he intends to respect Crochet’s stated desire to not negotiate during the season.
Ever since Crochet came to Boston in a trade where the Red Sox surrendered a package of four prospects headlined by top-100 talents Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery, hammering out an extension with the southpaw has seemed likely to be a priority for the club with just two seasons remaining until the southpaw reaches free agency. The 2024 All-Star made his first career MLB start on Opening Day for the White Sox last year, but that lack of experience did little to slow him down as he pitched to a 3.58 ERA (115 ERA+) while posting a sterling 2.69 FIP and striking out an incredible 35.1% of his opponents in 32 starts.
As much as the 2024 campaign did to establish Crochet as one of the league’s premiere front-of-the-rotation arms, however, it did little to settle his value on a long-term deal. As previously mentioned, the lefty had no experience as a starter in the majors or minors prior to 2024 due to injuries limiting him throughout his young career. He’d not thrown even 55 innings in a professional season before 2024, and even last year he threw just 146 innings while averaging roughly 3 1/3 innings per start in the second half. The fact that the lefty has not yet participated in a full MLB season with a starter’s typical workload works against Crochet’s value, even as the 25-year-old’s youth, tantalizing stuff and huge strikeout numbers make a case for him as among the most valuable assets in the sport.
Given the uncertainty surrounding Crochet’s value, it’s not necessarily shocking the sides were unable to agree to terms. Reporting last summer indicated that Crochet may have been targeting Tyler Glasnow’s $136.5MM guarantee with the Dodgers as a ballpark comparison for his extension talks with the White Sox, though it’s unclear how his demands may have changed after moving to Boston. That sort of outlay for a pitcher with Crochet’s health question marks may have been difficult for the Red Sox to stomach without getting to see him pitch up close, and now it appears they’ll have that opportunity in 2025. There’s nothing stopping the sides from resuming extension talks next offseason, though considering that it’ll be Crochet’s final before free agency it’s likely that another strong season from the lefty would leave the Red Sox to pay nearly full-market value in an extension next winter.
In other Red Sox news, Sean McAdam of MassLive reported this afternoon that outfielder Masataka Yoshida is headed to Boston for a consultation as he deals with a back issue. McAdam adds that Yoshida, who is on the injured list as he rehabs from offseason shoulder surgery, will remain in Boston to continue his rehab following the consultation. Yoshida was previously expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment as he builds up arm strength ahead of a return to the outfield for the first time (aside from a one-inning cameo last year) since 2023, though it now appears he’ll rehab with the big league club for at least the time being. A career .285/.343/.433 hitter across two seasons in the majors, Yoshida served as Boston’s regular DH last year but was bumped out of that spot by the signing of third baseman Alex Bregman, who pushed incumbent third baseman Rafael Devers to DH.
Time will tell but
My guess is sox will regret trading braden/teel/meidroth for 2 yrs of crochet
They are prospect rich, maybe best farm in mlb, so they took a shot i respect it, but they rly overpaid for crochet. Averaged 3innings / start 2nd half 2024, basically a long reliever for 3 months. And he’s a bit of a diva
Maybe let him pitch a full season first?
That makes too much sense for many fans apparently. There was always more sense from both sides to play out this year and see how it goes to have a better idea what a long term deal should look like for him.
Ken – Voice of reason. I think most of those here pushing for an extension are just instant gratification kids who don’t have the wisdom yet to understand the value of patience.
And if he is good, he doubles his asking price.
That desire to “hammer” out an extension is likely tempered by the knowledge that starting pitcher contracts usually don’t end well. Hell, a lot of times they don’t even start well. Crochet is likely to hit either free agency or the operating table two years (or less in the second case, unfortunately) from now. The risk just isn’t worth it.
“That desire to hammer”…Unfortunately, I totally agree with your entire statement.
And of course I don’t wish ill will on him or anyone. But it’s just an unfortunate fact that pitchers throwing with max effort and spinning the ball like crazy is just not a healthy combination for the human arm, as you know @mlb
Maybe stick with minor or independent leagues if the all the money being thrown around bothers you so much. MLB is a high-stakes game owners buy into with its associated risks.
Giolito!
You can’t not sign him after what you gave up for him….
ibuit – If trading that boatload of talent for Crochet turns out to be a mistake, signing him to a massive contract doesn’t make sense. That’s how people dig holes, refusing to cut their losses.
Smh you have to sign him after giving that talent away…. He will be fine but you have to keep him you can’t lose him after two years that’s stupid
Ibuit – So if he puts up a 4.50 ERA and misses half his starts because of injury, you still sign him?
Why didn’t you tell me you’re his agent ;o)
Are you obtuse on purpose?
Ibuit – Who is the ignoramus who insists on signing him no matter what? The majority here and elsewhere want him to prove he will stay healthy and effective for 180 innings before heaping a 9-figure contract on him.
Don’t get mad at me just because I’m the one who called you out on your childish “he must be signed no matter what” tunnel-visioned FOMO stance.
If he has injury issues or performs poorly this season you don’t give him $150M, it’s just common sense bro.
You are moron most if not all of your posts are ignorant.
Ibuit – And yet you still read all my posts, funny how that works.
I kept it friendly until your “obtuse” insult. I’m done with you.
Please let that be true …. No one likes you on here….
@remember Enough starring pitcher contracts end well enough that MLB teams pay what they do despite the injury risk. At quick glance I wouldn’t think it was sustainable, but teams keep doing it so it seems that it is.
Teams need pitching. For all the complaints about DD extending Sale, I’d have done the same thing, and said so even before his comeback. Guys like that are extremely rare.
He will be a 27 year old free agent if the Sox don’t extend him. If he puts up two strong years then he is definitely gone. The Sox won’t win a bidding war with the Dodgers or Mets.
They do this every time. Yall know they lowballed the kid.
You seem confident in your opinion. What is the right price and years for Crochet?
He’s been great for less than a season.
He’s frequently injured.
The 2 arb years will not be expensive.
What do you propose for this broken toy?
I don’t even think they should have traded for him to be honest, but they ALWAYS lowball and piss off talent. It is known.
Every GM lowballs the players. Every agent asks for more than the player is worth. A simple fact of life, even out here in the real world.
At a minimum they should offer him the same deal that Fried signed.
Rmull – Why would they offer him a free agent size contract when he’s 2 years away from free agency? Nothing done prematurely is a good thing.
If they can lock him up for 218M and keep him through his age 32 season that would be a huge bargain if he stays healthy. If he has two strong seasons and hits the market at 27 years old he will easily eclipse Gerrit Cole’s contract. They would be looking at more than 350M and having to pay him into his mid 30s.
Crochet’s true value isn’t in his 2025 performance—it’s in his potential to redefine pitcher usage. His 146 innings across 32 starts (4.56 IP/start) suggest teams could maximize him as a hybrid “opener-ace,” throwing 3-4 high-impact innings per game, twice weekly, for 50+ outings. This could yield 150-180 innings annually with lower injury risk, revolutionizing rotation strategy. The Red Sox delaying an extension might be a calculated bet to test this model, securing him cheaper next winter if it works, rather than paying Glasnow-level money for a traditional starter’s unproven durability.
York – I don’t think that’s the plan for the Red Sox or what the White Sox were doing last yr. Crochet’s 2024 starts are the product of legal manipulation.
The WSox gave him 32 starts to in theory prove he could go every 5 days, but intentionally pulled him from his 2nd half starts after 3 innings. When they didn’t move him at the deadline they wanted to protect his offseason value (have him make 32 starts), but didn’t want to blow his arm out on a 120 loss team (pull him after 1 time thru).
Cora has a hard time using SPs beyond 5 or 6 innings, but respectfully, there’s no way the RSox see him as a 3-4 inning SP. He’s gotta go 6 or 7 each start and throw 200 on the year.
Mo – Couple things ….
Seems like I’m the only one here who knows this, he really made only 31 starts. It’s just a really, really dumb MLB rule that “credits” him with a 32nd start despite not throwing a pitch or facing a batter.
And he was turned into an opener on July 1st, a full month before the trade deadline. The ChiSox wouldn’t have made that transition so early in the season unless they had concerns about his performance and durability.
Fever – Good point on the 31 starts. And yes, thats exactly why the WSox did it, but theres levels to “concern”. It’s not always panic driven.
If you are the worst team in baseball and have the #1 pitching trade asset that you’re actively marketing, the last thing you want is the player getting hurt.
Both 2024 Cy Young winners have arm surgeries in their history. Sale threw 177 innings last year, Skubal threw 192. Anyones arm can get blown out now a days, and guys can come back from it now too.
2024 Innings Leaders…7 of the top 10 have arm surgeries in their history.
2nd – Seth Lugo 206.2 – Partial UCL tear in 2017 & Elbow surgery in 2021
3rd – Logan Webb 204.2 TJ in 2016
4th – Zach Wheeler 200 – TJ in 2016
5th – Aaron Nola 199 – UCL Sprain in 2016
6th – Corbin Burnes 194.1 – High School elbow surgery for growth plate & TJ in 2023
8th – Tarik Skubal 192 – TJ in 2016 & Flexor tendon surgery in 2022
10th – Dylan Cease 189.1 – TJ in 2014
Mo – Great post, I appreciate it!
I agree with most of what you wrote, all I’m saying is the caution used was quite excessive and along with the contract extension demand last year likely scared away potential trade partners for a reason. His poor performance in the second half despite extremely limited innings only further justified the perception that he would have been a very high risk acquisition.
Nobody is rooting harder than me for him to have a fantastic and healthy 2025 season, and then I’ll be first in line to support his being extended …. AFTER this season.
@Mo All of those pitchers you mentioned are at least 6′ 1″. That has become the norm obviously, but I ve seen a few interesting articles and studies pointing to size both height and BMI as contributing factors. The bigger players teams yearn for produce more power but also more stress on their joints especially pitching arm.
community.fangraphs.com/an-analysis-of-the-relatio…
I ll try and find a link to the study that was posted on some medical site. It was pretty interesting. I know it’s in no way groundbreaking reporting, but the data they put together still interesting.
drchrisahmad.medium.com/why-is-the-game-of-basebal…
Another study found no link to arm angles, which surprised me. Further solidifies the other studies with size and torque on the elbow tho.
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666061X240…
Fever – I see it similarly. Sign him after 1 prove it year, even if that means he costs more. He did regress after the all star break in 2024 but there’s so much that can go into that too. I’m not worried about him, he’s shown enough potential he’s worth the risk.
Probably a bit of an overpay in the trade but they needed the arm. I preferred Crochet for prospects over Max Fried at $200M+. Teal was a tough loss but for the franchise needs I’d trade the catcher prospect over the stud SS, 2B, or CF.
Tigers –
Thank you for those links, very interesting indeed. I wonder if distribution of the players BMI could also play a part…i.e. bigger lower half generating the energy could lead to more core engagement needed in order to transfer energy to the arm.
As I was reading them I found myself wondering about the overall kinetic chain, and then saw the Yankee’s doctor pointed it out in his article. The failure strength of 32 Newton meters seems like the elephant in the room though. Evolutionary limitation.
I haven’t seen any studies on it, but all 3 of your links brought hand size to the top of my mind. Along the lines of – smaller hands leads to over gripping to get enough leverage on the ball to generate spin and/or velocity, creating more tension on the UCL as the energy transfer through the arm to the ball.
@Mo If what they re stating is true distribution of bmi would definitely play a role. It would likely be varying degrees with those generating and utilizing the most force from that mass into their pitches.
@Mo Vaughns Jockstrap
Your assumption that the Red Sox aim for Crochet to pitch 6-7 innings per start and hit 200 innings ignores a hidden leverage point: his pitch efficiency. In 2024, Crochet averaged 15.9 pitches per inning—top-tier among starters (league average ~17). If Boston caps him at 70-80 pitches per outing (4-5 innings), he could make 40+ starts, delivering 160-200 innings with elite impact, all while reducing arm stress. The White Sox’s second-half pullbacks weren’t just “legal manipulation”—they proved this model’s viability, as his 2.69 FIP stayed dominant despite shorter outings. Cora’s hesitance to push starters past 5-6 innings aligns perfectly with this, not your outdated 200-inning fantasy. The Red Sox aren’t chasing tradition; they’re optimizing a weapon.
York – I’m not a dogmatic homer on things, I’m willing to see new angles.
I don’t see how arms would be able to hold up 40 regular season short starts and then another 4-5 in the playoffs. Thats a lot of energetic volatility on a guys arm. For rotations to move to what you’re suggesting bullpens would need to be constructed very differently. Relievers would be used fundamentally different which would require them to posses different fundamentals.
Criswell would have made the team out of camp if the plan was to cap Crochet at 5 innings. Whitlock is the only reliable 2 inning guy out in the pen right now. Your idea would require Whitlock and at least 2 other guys to pitch every Crochet start. Thats 40% of the bullpen, week over week. Seriously limits the other 4 days.
I don’t care if it’s 200 exactly, its a general target. Getting 180 on 30+ starts isn’t an outdated fantasy. It’s a benchmark. Those can change with time. The current benchmark, based on how bullpens are built, is to ask SPs to not be satisfied with 5 innings and to expect to compete for 6.
@Mo Vaughns Jockstrap
I appreciate the reply and found it quite informative. Yes, a lot of this is theoretical, so we could go on and on talking about it.
Mo – York is just joking. He knows starting pitchers don’t go on short rest after just 70 pitches.
@Fever Pitch Guy
Wah? I do?
@Old York And just how did that usage work out for the White Sox last year?? You just keep spitting out these whacky assertions as tho deviations from a full work load or 5 man rotation is by design and crafted for efficiency. Crochets usage was due to being less effective in 2nd half of 2024 and to mitigate injury risk in a lost cause of a season.
@Tigers3232
You claim Crochet’s usage was a reaction to a “lost cause” season and second-half fade, but the numbers shred that. His first-half ERA (3.02) and second-half ERA (4.38) shifted due to a .280 BABIP spike (from .246), not diminished stuff—his K-rate held at 35%+. The White Sox didn’t “mitigate injury risk” randomly; they tested a repeatable, high-frequency model. My assertion isn’t “whacky”—it’s math. At 3-4 innings twice weekly, Crochet could log 50+ appearances, 150-180 innings, with a 20-30% lower pitch count per week than a traditional starter. Efficiency isn’t deviation; it’s evolution. Chicago’s 120 losses don’t negate the strategy’s success—his arm stayed intact, and his trade value soared.
@Old York Quit hypothesizing based off of look at surface stats. He was getting into trouble in most games aside from his last couple starts of 2nd half. And he had already long since established a career high work load.
Trying to twist it into the worst team in MLB history revolutionizing pitcher usage is laughable to say the least.
@Tigers3232
You’re dismissing this as “surface stats” and “hypothesizing,” but let’s dive deeper—way deeper—into something you’re missing entirely: Crochet’s pitch-level efficiency. His 2024 expected ERA (xERA) was 2.81, fifth-best among starters with 140+ innings, per Statcast. That’s not luck or a fluke; it’s elite contact suppression (barrel rate: 5.9%, 92nd percentile). His second-half “trouble” you harp on? A .280 BABIP bump, sure, but his xFIP stayed 2.65—his stuff didn’t fade, the defense behind him did. The White Sox’s 120 losses don’t disprove the model; they prove it worked despite chaos—146 innings, zero IL stints, 35% K-rate intact. Now, the kicker no one’s talking about: his pitch count per inning (15.9) is lower than 90% of starters. At 70 pitches per outing, twice weekly, that’s 50 starts, 175 innings, and a 30% workload drop versus a 200-inning traditionalist. Boston’s not chasing a 6-inning unicorn; they’re weaponizing a scalable, injury-proof ace. Call it laughable—I call it math you can’t refute.
@Old York That’s never worked. Arms simply can’t handle it. They don’t recover that quickly.
Even a physical freak like Goose Gossage had to cut way back on his usage after 26, and he was only going 2-3 innings per appearance at 26 before dropping down to 1-2 innings per appearance at 27.
baseball-reference.com/players/g/gossari01.shtml
@JackStrawb
Your Gossage comparison flops—reliever recovery isn’t starter recovery. Crochet’s 2024 workload (146 innings) already dwarfs Gossage’s peak multi-inning relief years (e.g., 141.2 IP in 1975). Modern data backs this: starters averaging 4-5 IP per outing (e.g., Shane McClanahan, 2022: 166.1 IP over 28 starts) show no elevated injury rates versus 6-7 IP peers when pitch counts are controlled (Crochet’s 73.4 pitches/start vs. league 85+). A twice-weekly, 3-4 inning role—say, 50 outings, 75 pitches each—totals 150-180 IP with 48-72-hour rest cycles, matching reliever recovery science (MLB relievers average 2-3 days between appearances). Arms handle it when volume’s managed. History’s not the limit; physiology is.
That’s a mistake
He’s worried about ending up as the DH in the second year of an extension.
Mule – Devers couldn’t have looked any worse than he did today, he may need some time to adapt to the transition.
Fever – sure he could’ve, he could’ve been standing on the 3B bag giving us his normal trademark defense
GASox – How much longer before the conspiracies about his brutal start to the season begin?
1) 7 months after shutting it down last year, his shoulders are still hurting
2) He hasn’t adjusted to going into PA’s cold off the bench
3) He’s pulling a Manny, trying to force his way off the team
4) He has mentally checked out with the latest announcement from Cora that he won’t even back up Bregman
At least he’s learned how to be more media savvy, knowing the right things to say now.
Fever, he’s basically had no ST to speak of. I suspect he gets a grace period similar to guys who held out and signed late as FAs, then you’ll get questions about the shoulders.
GaSox – He’s been at it since reporting to Ft Myers in mid-January. And he’s been focused entirely on hitting the whole time, zero time spent on fielding.
Not like guys who don’t participate at all in ST because of signing late.
Must be my mind playing tricks on me. I would have sworn Devers didn’t appear in the lineup a single time all spring until the last 4 or 5 games…
Are you saying he was in the lineup facing live opposition pitching all ST?
Taking swings in the cage, or hitting off a tee, that doesn’t count. I’m talking Devers on a lineup card, in live ABs, more than 10-15 plate appearances all spring long against live, opposition pitching, who are trying to get him out.
GaSox – Your mind is perfectly fine. He had only 15 ST PA’s, but he’s been in camp since mid January.
I suppose you could blame Cora for not getting him properly prepared, but really you have to wonder if he’s either having a hard time with the transition or has simply checked out.
Fever, lots of words come up related to my mind lately, but, fine isnt among the lnes id choose LOL!!!
I thought I remembered some story about him working on his mechanics, something about his swing wasn’t where he wanted it or where it’d usually be. And he was working on that related to recovering from the shoulder issues before facing live pitching. Could’ve been BS, who knows.
Other issue is whether the shoulders were where they needed to be, as we’ve run through before.
I’m not prepared to blame Cora for that yet for the simple reason that I lack the info to do so. You know me my friend, I’m as harsh as anyone on ownership, the front office, and cora once I feel there’s enough info to deserve lowering the boom on them. I just haven’t seen enough on this subject to make that leap quite yet on this one.
Brutal day for RISP today for the Sox. The game should’ve been a blowout win but… alas, not in the cards.
All parties involved have to understand BOS won’t talk extension until next winter for a variety of reasons not the least of which is the Sale extension which was an exploding cigar. And then there’s the Price contract, but the last thing they want to do is go long term with a pitcher who genuinely hasn’t proven himself over an entire season.
Rubbish. Both sides do a risk-analysis based on the information they have today. One can look back at the past contracts (Giolito, Sale, and Price) which didn’t work out and learn not to overlook or miss any processes. Purse-clutching is no way to run a sustainable winning team.
MLB – Then why didn’t the Red Sox do a risk analysis before trading a boatload of talent, including a much-needed catcher, for an unproven pitcher who flashed several major red flags last year?
Or did they do one as horribly as their risk analysis of Paxton, Hendriks, Giolito, etc?
Because all of those are short-term deals. There’s a reason why they were available and that is they don’t have high reward ceilings. Then you get the results the Red Sox have had over the past five seasons. I see you guys dumping on the Alex Bregman contract. It’s exactly what is needed to climb out of the hole that your team has been mired in. Quit complaining when the team is spending or reap what you sow.
MLB – Just because Crochet has only 2 years of team control remaining, it doesn’t mean Boston would throw caution to the wind by trading a haul for him.
And short term or not, $39M for Giolito is a good chunk of change.
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Stop making excuses for the Red Sox’ bricked half-court shots when they’re trying to drive to the basket with Bregman.
MLB – Not sure why you shifted to Bregman, but okay.
Because some of you guys complain about the team being cheap and now complain about the team spending on higher-risk investments like Bregman. Make up your minds already because it’s nauseating or just be content with mediocrity. It’s a new season and moaning about past failures achieves nothing.
MLB – In the adult world you don’t get cheap because you pissed away a bunch of money, that’s the connection. Red Sox got cheap because they pissed away a bunch of money. Real fans don’t want that to happen again.
Forgetting the past mistakes means you’re doomed to repeat them. Apparently you haven’t grasped that yet.
I would rather my team lock him up for his prime years while he’s cheap. Red Sox will wait until his price goes up and then sign him, right before he blows up. Then they’ll pay someone to take him. Just like Price and Sale, it’s the Red Sox way.
Red Sox will wait until his price goes up and then sign him
===================
It looks like Crochet’s asking price is way up now. Therefore, no extension until he shows he is worth what he is asking.
Wait to see how badly shelled he gets in Fenway.
Crochet wanted White Sox to meet his demands last offseason. Now he’s at it again, setting more demands about a contract extension with Red Sox
May come to the point Red Sox just settle for the 2 years he has on his contract & then move on
The nerve of the guy to not let a team blow out his arm.
Red Sox fans just love to create villains out of their own players.
He needs to prove he can pitch in a bigger market, last an entire season, and pitch like an Ace 1st.
Exactly. If he waits and holds up, he can get way more money from Boston. Lefty pitchers with his velocity and his young age are some of the biggest earners in free agency. His arm will have lower than expected mileage too. Look at Max Fried who just got over $200 million, going into his age 31 season with less velocity and coming off an average year for him.
We will never know of course, but I wonder what was offered by the Red Sox. I realize that Crochet is betting on himself, but if he gets injured again this year, his value decreases, and he may wish he had taken what Boston offered.
So, the lack of contract extension so far is a risk for both sides.
yes, sign him to a 6 year extension now so he can schedule the TJ surgery without having to worry
How will he play in the postseason without an extension?
Fred – I wouldn’t be surprised if some variation of that comes from Mister Demand.
Can’t wait to see him pitching for the Yankees next year.
Bad – No offense but that’s a ridiculous comment. The Red Sox won’t be trading him to the Yankees no matter how bad he does.
An expensive 150 innings.
Let him prove himself in 2025 before he warrants a massive contract
His elbow is going to blow up before he gets a contract extension
They’re going to be essentially starting over. Whatever happens this season will change the situation & they’ll be near square one.
I don’t want the Red Sox to over extend on an offer.
I’d really love to know the numbers though.
crochet is looking for around 136 million and the red sox countered with 13 mill and 1000 BK crowns.
Burying the lede: did the Red Sox and Crochet table the table because they lost the IKEA instructions in the wash by leaving in pants pockets and couldn’t figure out what to do with spare part so awkward
This is Chris Sale 2.0…. If the Sox had just let that contract run out they wouldn’t have been underwater.. this time they will let it play out before extensions. Hope for the White Sox these prospects pan out better than the ones they got from Sale.