Red Sox reportedly sign Garrett Crochet to six-year, $170 million extension
Garrett Crochet's new deal will reportedly begin in 2026 — with an opt-out in place for 2030.
The Red Sox’s new ace is reportedly sticking around for the foreseeable future.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Red Sox have signed starter Garrett Crochet to a six-year, $170 million contract extension that will keep the southpaw in Boston through at least 2030.
Per Passan, Crochet’s new deal will officially start in 2026, and will include an opt-out after the 2030 season.
Monday’s news stands as a stark reversal from what had been a months-long negotiation between the Red Sox and Crochet’s camp that had yet to reach a resolution.
While the 25-year-old Crochet noted in February that he was interested in signing a long-term deal with Boston, he added on several occasions that he was setting Opening Day as a deadline to table contract talks with the Red Sox if a deal was not agreed upon.
“I would rather not (talk contract during regular-season play). I feel like it could be a distraction for myself and I don’t exactly want to be in the clubhouse talking about it with my teammates around me,” Crochet told WEEI’s Rob Bradford in March of an Opening Day deadline.
“It’s one of those things where I feel like it kind of takes focus away from being where your feet are. Whether it’s halfway through the year, first month of the year, or let’s say we’re fighting for a playoff spot and I’m over here talking about me. I just don’t want to take away from what the team’s doing.”
Despite Crochet’s sentiments, clearly something changed in terms of his stance when it came to the deadline — with the Red Sox reportedly finally bridging the gap five games into the regular season.
In his latest comments ahead of signing a reported deal, Crochet told Bradford that contract talks were “down to the wire” before Opening Day.
“I never got that feeling,” Crochet told Bradford when asked if he felt like he and the organization were distant. “You would rather it be that way than have the conversation one time and it’s a large gap, where I’m over here thinking I’m a really good pitcher and there would be a gap, meaning they’re thinking you are less than you.”
Crochet made his first start in a Red Sox uniform on Thursday against the Rangers — logging five innings of work and allowing two runs with two walks and four strikeouts in Boston’s 5-2 win.
The former White Sox lefty — who was acquired by Boston in a blockbuster deal in exchange for prospects Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth and Wikelman González on Dec. 11 — has all the makings of a top-of-the-rotation starter.
Last season, Crochet went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA, 1.068 WHIP, and 209 strikeouts over 146 innings pitched with Chicago.
Finding the right price for Crochet was going to be an interesting challenge for the Red Sox — given Crochet’s impressive arsenal of pitches, high ceiling, and limited sample size.
Initially a reliever with Chicago , Crochet missed the entire 2022 season and most of the 2023 campaign after undergoing elbow surgery. Crochet made serious strides last year after being made into a starter with the White Sox, but his workload was limited during the dog days of the summer.
Crochet logged six innings or more 11 times over his first 18 starts of the 2024 season, sporting a 6-6 record with a 3.02 ERA and 141 strikeouts in just 101.1 innings of work before July 1.
But the White Sox limited his reps in the second half in order to preserve his arm, with Crochet not throwing for more than four innings in a start after June.
Even with the question marks regarding Crochet’s durability, his stuff alone makes him a legitimate No. 1 starter — one who reportedly secured a sizable payout by Boston on Monday.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com