By Jen McCaffrey, Ken Rosenthal and Chad Jennings
DALLAS — As far back as the trade deadline this summer, the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox discussed a deal for starter Garrett Crochet, but the trade didn’t materialize at the time.
Five months later, with conversations occurring throughout the offseason and only heating up Tuesday night, the deal became more of a reality. By Wednesday afternoon, it was official.
Boston traded four prospects — their two most recent first-rounders in catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Braden Montgomery, as well as right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez and infielder Chase Meidroth — to Chicago for Crochet, closing the door on months of trade speculation across the game for one of baseball’s most coveted young arms, giving the Red Sox the front-line starter they’ve lacked in recent seasons.
With five teams in the mix for Crochet down the stretch, according to White Sox general manager Chris Getz, discussions turned a corner Tuesday night, shortly after free-agent Max Fried had signed an eight-year, $218 million deal with the New York Yankees. The Red Sox had been a finalist for Fried before missing out.
When Getz went to bed Tuesday, he’d been engaged in discussions with Boston but didn’t think a deal was close to completion. When he woke up a few hours later to a text from Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, talks picked up quickly.
“It was very clear that they were ready to get something done,” Getz said.
Losing Teel, their 2023 first-rounder and catcher of the future, in addition to 2024 first-rounder Montgomery hurt, but internally, the Red Sox were pleased with the ability to retain baseball’s No. 1 prospect, Roman Anthony, as well as highly touted prospect Kristian Campbell, who’s coming off a breakout season. The team also retained major-league first baseman Triston Casas and outfielder Wilyer Abreu, established players they appear willing to dangle in different trade talks.
“Sometimes you have to sacrifice potential future value,” Breslow said. “I think, fortunately, our system is deep and there’s a ton of quality and a ton of really, really good players, so we felt like we were in a position to withstand the cost.”
According to a league source, the White Sox were always focused on acquiring prospects and that Casas and Abreu were never seriously discussed as anchors of the deal as Chicago focuses on a long-term rebuild.
That doesn’t mean, however, that either Casas or Abreu won’t be traded this offseason as the Red Sox are still actively pursuing more pitching as well as a right-handed bat and bullpen help.
The Red Sox were also in search of catching depth after losing Teel but quickly filled that hole Wednesday night. The Red Sox traded pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and international bonus pool money to the Yankees in exchange for catcher Carlos Narvaez. Boston designated utility man Enmanuel Valdez for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. According to a team source, the Red Sox value Narvaez for his defense. Rodriguez-Cruz, who finished last year in High A, posted a 2.60 ERA in 48 minor-league games.
After a slow and frustrating start to the week missing out on Juan Soto and Fried, the Red Sox were busy on Wednesday. One rival executive pointed out in trading for Crochet that the Red Sox would not part ways with their two most recent first-round picks if they were not committed to winning and predicted bigger moves are on the horizon for the Red Sox.
The rotation remains a priority for the Red Sox, according to a team source. Given Crochet is set to make roughly $3 million next season in salary arbitration, as projected by MLB Trade Rumors, the Red Sox have plenty of room to spend on the free-agent market. Breslow wouldn’t comment on whether the club is interested in extending Crochet beyond his remaining two years, but it seems likely. He noted Crochet’s excitement when he called the pitcher after the deal was official.
Crochet not only adds a left-handed element to the rotation alongside righties Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and Lucas Giolito, but he is one of the league’s premier strikeout pitchers. He led all starters with at least 100 innings pitched with a 35.1 percent strikeout rate, while posting a minuscule 5.5 percent walk rate. The Red Sox see even more potential in him once they get him in their system.
“We see huge velocity, ability to generate swing-and-miss, big breaking ball, unique angles, unique release,” Breslow said.
GO DEEPER
Red Sox try to knit together a contending rotation by adding Garrett Crochet: Law
They also view this move as the beginning — not the end — of their offseason work.
“This is the type of move — and Garrett obviously comes with two years of control — that I think screams we need to compete in 2025 and that we need to put a better team on the field,” Breslow said Wednesday.
Boston is about $55 million shy of the $241 million luxury tax threshold and the team has plenty of money to spend. That could come in the form of adding top free-agent starter Corbin Burnes or one of the mid-level arms still available in Sean Manaea, Walker Buehler or even reuniting with Nick Pivetta.
It could come in the form of trades. The Red Sox seem willing to move outfielder/DH Masataka Yoshida, given his roster redundancy as a left-handed bat in an already lefty-heavy lineup, not to mention his salary. Trading him could free up more payroll space, though to move him they may have to take on some of his salary. He’s owed roughly $55 million the next three years.
Trading for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado remains an option if Arenado is willing to waive his no-trade clause. With deferrals and portions of his deal covered by the Colorado Rockies, the Red Sox would only be responsible for roughly three years, $60 million left on the deal. He and Trevor Story are good friends from their Rockies days. Arenado, a Gold Glove winner, could force Rafael Devers to designated hitter, but Arenado has said he’s willing to play first base. That, of course, would mean trading Casas.
While frustration has mounted in recent years with Boston’s lack of big moves, reduced payroll and having missed the postseason in five of the last six seasons, the wheels are turning toward contention.
In an annual tradition on the final day of baseball’s Winter Meetings, reporters joined the manager of the team they cover for breakfast at the Hilton Anatole.
As breakfast wound down, Alex Cora got up from the table where he sat with Red Sox reporters and left a bread crumb.
“They’re working,” he said of the Red Sox front office, dropping a suggestion that perhaps Boston had a deal coming. “They’re always working.”
Hours later, Crochet was a member of the Red Sox.
(Photo: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
