Garrett Crochet Sets Pressing Deadline For Red Sox In Extension Negotiations

Time is quickly running out on Boston here...

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 immediately lock up their newest superstar pitcher, they've got a very short window left to do it.

Garrett Crochet arrived to the Red Sox after a blockbuster December trade with the Chicago White Sox. Boston sent four top prospects, including two of the top five in their organization, to Chicago in exchange for the fireballing lefty.

Crochet's 2024 All-Star season was his first as a starting pitcher at the big-league level, but he first debuted in 2020. That meant the Red Sox only had two years of control over the lefty when they acquired him, and immediately put a potential extension on the table.

It would be a huge misstep on the Red Sox part to fail to extend Crochet after trading so much talent to get him. And if they wait too long, the price could get so high that they either hurt their future payroll situation or allow him to hit free agency.

At some point, it made sense all along that Crochet would table extension talks until after the season. And it appears Crochet's deadline is now officially set--and it's only nine days away.

"The conversation we’ve had is just Opening Day," Crochet told WEEI's Rob Bradford when asked about the deadline in question.

"I would rather not (talk contract during the season). I feel like it could be a distraction for myself and I don’t exactly want to be in the clubhouse talking about it with my teammates around me. It’s one of those things where I feel like it kind of takes focus away from being where your feet are. Whether it’s halfway through the year, first month of the year, or let’s say we’re fighting for a playoff spot and I’m over here talking about me. I just don’t want to take away from what the team’s doing."

Recall, of course, that Crochet refused trades last season unless the team acquiring him was willing to give him an extension on the spot. He's said this spring that he envisions himself in Boston long-term, but he knows his worth and he's not going to just take whatever deal the Red Sox slap on the table in front of him.

If Crochet puts himself in Cy Young conversations this season, he'll be adding dollars to that extension with every start. It's great on the surface to have him for just $3.8 million this season, but the Red Sox could save themselves a lot of future headaches by finding a middle ground in the 11th hour.

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