The Red Sox and righty Cooper Criswell have agreed to terms on a contract for the 2026 season, reports FanSided’s Robert Murray. Criswell, a client of Republik Sports, was already on the 40-man roster but wasn’t necessarily a lock to stick all offseason. He’s now agreed to a fully guaranteed $800K, per Murray, which greatly enhances his chances of staying in place.
Boston could still pass Criswell through waivers at some point this winter. He’s out of minor league options and would thus need to break camp with the club or else be designated for assignment. The fully guaranteed $800K, while only a bit north of the league minimum salary, makes it less likely that he’d be claimed by another club and also ensures that Criswell would accept an outright to the minors. He’d have the right to reject a minor league assignment upon clearing waivers by virtue of the fact that he’s been outrighted in the past, but he doesn’t have the service time necessary to reject and retain the remainder of that guarantee.
The 29-year-old Criswell appeared in seven games for the Sox this year, logging 17 2/3 innings of 3.57 ERA ball but with only an 11.3% strikeout rate. He’s totaled 154 2/3 innings across parts of five major league seasons and carries a career 4.48 ERA, 16.7% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate between the Angels, Rays and Red Sox. He also tossed 65 2/3 innings of 3.70 ERA ball for the Sox’ Triple-A affiliate in Worcester this season, working primarily as a starter.
While Criswell isn’t going to be penciled into next year’s rotation, he’ll be a depth option and could compete for a swing role in camp. Rotation help will be a focus for Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow this winter. Ace Garrett Crochet will again lead the rotation. He’ll be followed by Brayan Bello, but the rest of the group is more in flux. Kutter Crawford missed the entire season due to oblique and wrist injuries — the latter requiring surgery in July. Tanner Houck had Tommy John surgery this summer. Hunter Dobbins’ season ended with an ACL tear. Lucas Giolito is a free agent.
Top prospects Payton Tolle and Connelly Early debuted late in the season and impressed to varying extents, but neither will simply be handed a rotation spot. Veteran Patrick Sandoval should be healthy after spending 2025 rehabbing from UCL surgery. Former top prospect Kyle Harrison, acquired in the Rafael Devers trade, will be in the mix — as will righty Richard Fitts. There are plenty of in-house options, but some of those names could move to the bullpen and others may need more time in Triple-A. Adding a playoff-caliber arm to the rotation mix seems likely, whether that addition comes via free agency or trade.
Good, solid sign. A quality depth starter who has performed well in short spurts with the big league club. As we saw at the end of the season & even in the World Series, you NEVER have enough pitching.
Criswell is a good depth option to have. Depending on the structure of the bullpen he could stick with the team for the season
Good bye Cooper, hope you and Jarren have a good rest of your careers wherever you land.
Sad Sox… If we can land a legit #2 SP, I think that will help the Red Sox go deep into October. It will not be cheap, so I think you are right about your good-byes. I am worried about who else it will take for another team to cough up a controllable top of the rotation SP.
I suspect Arias and Garcia would be at the top of wish lists if youre going after a #1/2 level talent, in addition to a young arm or two and perhaps a mlb OFer
I fully expect the Red Sox to one way or another go sign trade for someone to pitch behind Crochet. Bello will be locked in and I expect Early, Crawford, Sandoval, Dobbins, Fitts, and Harrison. Tolle might fit in as well especially if his secondaries take a jump.
My expectation is for Early to win one of the jobs out of spring training and very quickly become a mid rotation starter. I think every team that trades with Boston to ask for Connelly Early but barring a big blockbuster Breslow isn’t trading him. I think within a few months he will establish himself as a mid rotation starter with even more upside. He will show up in Spring Training with a tick or two more on his fastball and it will make his secondaries even better. They will have a lot of other options to be the 5th starter but I expect it will come down to Sandoval, Crawford, and Dobbins.
I’m a little surprised that they signed Criswell I thought he was a dfa candidate. It must mean they don’t believe Drohan can stay healthy and they are going to let him go in the rule 5. It will be very interesting to see whom they don’t add to the 40 man. I think they should add Sandlin, Drohan, and Mullins but with the Criswell add I don’t think they can protect all 3.