The Red Sox may have another move up their sleeve.
The Boston Red Sox went into the winter knowing they needed to get additional starting pitchers, preferably a lefty.
Boston did not waste any time in filling the position with perhaps the greatest choice of the offseason. The Red Sox acquired 25-year-old All-Star Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox in their largest transaction of the summer thus far.
There is a case to be made that Blake Snell or Max Fried would have been stronger left-handed alternatives, but they were also far more expensive. Fried is 31 years old and inked an eight-year, $218 million contract. Snell is 32 years old and has signed a five-year, $182 million contract. Both were pricey and would last until the hurler’s late thirties.
Landing Crochet is probably much better. He’s under team control for two seasons, but he could wind up staying longer. There has been talk of a possible contract renewal with Crochet. A contract has not yet been signed, but MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reports that there is “strong mutual interest.”
“Garrett Crochet is the obvious top extension candidate on the roster and there’s believed to be strong mutual interest in hammering something out soon,” Cotillo said. “If that happens, the average annual value/CBT on him will be much more ($20 million per year? $25 million per year?) than it is now ($3.8 million).”
Crochet hasn’t even reached his peak yet, but he already looks like a pro. Boston would be prudent to work out an agreement.
