Garrett Crochet Extension? Red Sox Insider Shares Key Insight

When the Red Sox traded for Garrett Crochet, it was understood that Boston still had more work to do with the star left-hander.

The hefty price Boston paid in its blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox largely was due to Crochet’s appealing situation. The 2024 All-Star doesn’t turn 26 until late June and he’s under team control through the 2026 season. But the Red Sox surely envision a longer-term future with Crochet, which will require a contract extension to facilitate.

When could the star southpaw and the Red Sox iron out a new deal? The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham provided some insight in a column published Monday.

“Don’t be surprised if Garrett Crochet gets a contract extension before spring training or shortly after,” Abraham wrote. “The longer the Sox wait, the more likely the price goes up. That trade only makes sense if Crochet is locked up well beyond the two years he has before free agency.”

Reporters asked Crochet last Friday about a potential extension with the Red Sox, but he stressed he’s only focusing on his first season as Boston’s ace. Craig Breslow similarly tried to not look too far ahead after the trade was finalized, but the Red Sox chief baseball officer noted extension talks would be explored “when the time is right.”

However, as Abraham outlined, it would make sense for the Red Sox to prioritize a Crochet extension once spring training rolls around.