Red Sox's Garrett Crochet Shuts Down Extension Possibility Ahead Of 2025 Opening Day

A quote that will give Red Sox fans mixed emotions...

Feb 23, 2025; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) pitching in the first inning of their game against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Chris Tilley-Imagn Images | Chris Tilley-Imagn Images

Most Boston Red Sox fans wanted their team to lock down Garrett Crochet the minute he was acquired via trade, but spring training has dramatically increased the urgency.

Crochet didn't just look good this spring, he looked unhittable. The 25-year-old left-handed flamethrower struck out 30 batters in 15 2/3 innings with a 0.57 ERA, establishing himself as an early favorite for the American League Cy Young Award.

The Red Sox are only guaranteed to have Crochet for two years, and if they can't work out an extension now, the price to do so could go up astronomically if he has a big season. And Crochet has already stressed that he doesn't want those talks to carry over into the season past Opening Day.

Since the Red Sox open the regular season with Crochet on the mound Thursday, time is fleeting. And based on the lefty's latest comments, it sounds as though fans shouldn't be holding out hope for a deal in the 11th hour.

During a recent interview with the Play Tessie podcast that was released on Monday, Crochet said he believed an extension before Thursday was extremely unlikely--though he also stressed that he could easily see himself in Boston long-term.

“Before Opening Day, I’m not really thinking there’s much possibility right now," Crochet said. "I’m more so focused on playing out the season. But the prospect of being here long term is incredibly exciting.”

"It's just such a historic franchise, with... a lot of star power here. So it's a team that I think is built to win, and it's filled with youth, so it's got the capability to win for a long time, which is very exciting. Yeah, a lot of pros, for sure."

It's encouraging to hear from Crochet that the Red Sox are an attractive permanent destination. Unfortunately, it's hard to determine what he's worth based on stats alone, and it seems as though his performance this season could skyrocket his expectations to a number Boston isn't too keen to pay.

The Red Sox's front office got uncomfortable when they traded four top prospects to acquire Crochet in the first place. They're likely going to have to step even further outside that comfort zone to keep him in town beyond the 2026 season.

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