It’s been reported throughout the offseason — really ever since the Boston Red Sox traded for starting pitcher Garrett Crochet in mid-December — that a top priority of the club was to sign the southpaw to a contract extension by Opening Day.
With the Red Sox set to begin their 2025 regular season on Thursday against the Texas Rangers, that possibility has reportedly all but been thrown out the window.
Crochet is slated to take the bump on Opening Day at Global Life Field as Boston’s new ace, coming off a strong showing in Spring Training.
Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reported on Friday, however, that “barring something unexpected,” the 2024 All-Star is set to enter the regular season without a long-term deal. The Red Sox currently have Crochet under team control through the 2026 campaign.
Insider: A ‘Large Gap’ Between Crochet, Red Sox in Contract Negotiations
The 25-year-old Crochet spent the first five years of his MLB career with the Chicago White Sox before being sent to Beantown on December 11 in exchange for a package of minor-leaguers, including top prospect Kyle Teel.
Cotillo wrote on Friday that according to one of his sources, an extension between Crochet and the Red Sox is “less than likely” ahead of Opening Day.
“There is believed to be a large gap between the sides at present,” Cotillo wrote.
Per Cotillo, the 2020 first-round pick admitted following Friday’s Spring Training start against the Pittsburgh Pirates that an upcoming extension may be unlikely.
“I think that right now, we’re just looking forward to getting through the season,” he said, according to Cotillo.
Crochet Prepares for Opening Day After ‘Smashing Success’ During Spring Training
Crochet is tasked with getting Boston off on the right foot in pursuit of its first playoff berth since 2021, when the University of Tennessee product was a rookie reliever in Chicago.
The former Volunteers hurler finished a string of standout Grapefruit League starts against the Pirates, firing 5 1/3 shutout innings while allowing just five hits and two walks with nine strikeouts. Crochet went 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 30 strikeouts across 15 2/3 innings (five starts) during exhibition play.
“I’m really excited and feeling good. The four-seam, sinker, cutter combo today felt really good,” Crochet said, per Cotillo. “Things could have gone like (expletive) today but as long as those three felt good, I’d feel really confident going into Opening Day. Obviously, things went well so a little added confidence there.”
Despite finishing 6-12 on a historically bad White Sox club last season, Crochet also recorded a 3.58 ERA, career-best 1.06 WHIP and 209 strikeouts (fourth-most in AL) across 146 innings pitched covering 32 starts. He was named the June AL Pitcher of the Month, made his first All-Star team in July and earned the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
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