What Red Sox's Garrett Crochet Could Cost With Blockbuster Extension

Will the Red Sox find a way to get a deal done?

Feb 28, 2025; Clearwater, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

If the Boston Red Sox want to keep Garrett Crochet with the organization beyond the 2026 Major League Baseball season, they surely are going to need to open up the checkbook.

Boston acquired Crochet from the Chicago White Sox during the offseason in a trade that sent Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Wikelman Gonzalez away. That's a pretty big price to pay, but Crochet is worth it.

He's just 25 years old and has all of the upside in the world. Crochet had a 3.58 ERA last year for the White Sox in 32 starts. His advanced metrics were even better. This is a guy who could be in contention for an American League Cy Young Award in the near future.

Crochet and the Red Sox avoided arbitration with a $3.8 million deal for the 2025 season and he is under team control for one more season before he's scheduled to go to free agency. Both Crochet and the Red Sox have discussed a potential extension and sound at least open to the idea.

If the Red Sox want him, they will have to pay him well, though. Spotrac currently has his market value projected to be just over $130 million over six years. That doesn't mean that is the extension that he would get, though. That is likely closer to the value he'd have if he was a free agent right now.

He'll turn 26 years old in June. If he's going to land an extension, it seems like it would be something that would allow him to eventually hit free agency and cash in a second time. In comparison, Spencer Strider signed a six-year, $75 million deal with the Atlanta Braves at a similar age.

Because he does still have the year of control left, maybe an extension in the ballpark of five years and $90 million could get the two sides to the table. A deal like this would absorb the final year of Crochet's arbitration eligibility and give him more than he would've made in 2026. Then, the Red Sox would also have him in town from 2027-2030 and allow him the chance to hit free agency at the age of 30.

This is just a hypothetical, but based on the way a deal would be structured, maybe this could at leat get a conversation started.

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