Garrett Crochet Would Have Been Perfect Addition for Baltimore Orioles

The recently-traded Garrett Crochet would have been a perfect addition for the Baltimore Orioles, has he not ended up in Boston.

Sep 7, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (45) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles have been one of the more active teams so far this offseason, but they have yet to make a significant splash. 

Coming into the offseason, the Orioles were always going to be a team to watch. With two of their top players as free agents, Baltimore has a good chance of looking like a much different team in 2025. 

So far, that is looking to be the case. While Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander are both free agents, the Orioles have already added Tyler O’Neill in free agency, which could be an indication that they will move on from Santander. 

With Burnes still out there in free agency, Baltimore certainly hopes that they can bring their ace back. Last season, the right-hander was excellent for the Orioles, as he totaled a 15-9 record, 2.92 ERA, and pitched over 190 innings for the third straight year. Bringing him back is still likely priority No.1, but they recently saw another potential starter go to a division rival. 

The Boston Red Sox were able to get their pitcher in a reported trade with the Chicago White Sox, as they acquired the highly coveted player, Garrett Crochet. 

Crochet was someone mentioned frequently with Baltimore, as the pairing made a lot of sense for multiple reasons. 

Firstly, he has the potential to be an ace in the league for years to come at just 25 years old. The lefty is much younger than all the top tier free agents. Also, he might have fit well in the Orioles’ long-term plans with their lineup having a lot of youth in it.

Having a pitcher like Crochet leading the rotation with Gunnar Henderson in the lineup could have resulted in a lot of wins for years to come. Now, they will have to oppose a talented left-hander instead. 

This was a great addition for the Red Sox, who were actively seeking pitching help this offseason. Like Baltimore, Boston is currently on the younger side as well, so the southpaw makes a lot of sense for them as well. 

With some of the top free-agent pitchers coming off the board in free agency and Crochet being traded, the options for an ace on the staff for Baltimore are getting slim. Even though it was always important for them to bring back Burnes, it might be even more important now seeing what teams within their own division are doing. 

While it is too late now, Crochet would have been an excellent addition for the Orioles this offseason.