Red Sox Predicted To Trade $4M Rising Star As Result Of Garrett Crochet Blockbuster

The Boston Red Sox made their biggest move in quite some time on Wednesday. What's next?

In trading for lefty Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox, the Red Sox landed themselves a potential ace who is younger than all of the projected starters on the Boston roster. Yet after an 81-81 season, there still must be more moves on the horizon.

Among the Red Sox's other needs: A right-handed power hitter (maybe two), another high-leverage reliever, and potentially one more top-of-the-rotation starter. Fortunately, they have plenty of money to spend, as they're over $60 million shy of the first luxury tax threshold at the moment.

But while much of the focus will be on potential additions, there's one other potential side effect of the Crochet trade. If any more starters are going to enter the picture for Boston, doesn't that mean one could also be shipped off elsewhere?

Chris Landers of FanSided believes that Kutter Crawford could be that starter. Landers recently predicted that the Red Sox would trade Crawford now that they have Crochet, perhaps helping them take a run at four-time All-Star Corbin Burnes in free agency.

"Yes, Boston still doesn't have all that much pitching depth to spare after landing Crochet, and yes, Crawford showed real promise in 2024," Landers said. "But Breslow still has a Soto-sized bag of cash burning a hole in his pocket, and who better to spend it on than Corbin Burnes?"

"Crawford, along with Abreu and Triston Casas, is a valuable trade chip, and Boston could flip him for offensive help (maybe to the Cubs for Cody Bellinger and/or Nico Hoerner?) while spending some of John Henry's money to make sure the rotation doesn't feel his loss too acutely."

Crawford, 28, had an up-and-down season, but the most important thing he did was make 33 starts and lead the Red Sox in both innings pitched (183 2/3) and strikeouts (175). He led the majors with 34 home runs allowed, so he's got to stop serving up meatballs, but there's a lot to build on from his first year as a full-time starter.

With Crochet, Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, and Lucas Giolito slotted in front of Crawford, it would make sense that he could be the one to go in a potential deal, though it's not clear why Bellinger or Hoerner would specifically be fits for this Boston team right now.

However, the injury rash among starting pitchers has proven that a team can never have too much depth anymore, so if the Red Sox are going to move off Crawford, it had better be for an excellent return.

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