Boston Red Sox Make Another Big Swing, Get Garrett Crochet From Chicago

The 2024 Major League Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas have not disappointed. They started with Juan Soto agreeing to a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, then the Yankees pivoted to Max Fried with the highest contract guarantee to a left-handed pitcher in baseball history, and now the Boston Red Sox have made a splash of their own.

Multiple reports broke Wednesday that the Red Sox had acquired starting pitcher Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox for four prospects.  

Those prospects are catcher Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth and Wikelman Gonzalez. 

Teel and Montgomery both ranked in the top five of Boston's top prospects, and Meidroth and Gonzalez were both in the organization's top 15. Seems like it makes sense for both sides.

CHICAGO - Starting pitcher Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 7, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Garrett Crochet Helps Red Sox Return To Contention

Crochet was one of the best starting pitchers in the sport in 2024, despite pitching exclusively as a reliever in the first three years of his MLB career. He struck out more than 35 percent of hitters he faced while walking just 5.5 percent, good for a 2.69 FIP and 4.7 WAR, per Fangraphs.

For a team that hasn't won the AL East since 2018 and has finished in last place three of the past five years, it's an immediate upgrade. Boston averaged 4.64 runs per game in 2024, good for ninth in baseball, but allowed the eighth most runs per game as a pitching staff.

Crochet and new free agent signing Aroldis Chapman will certainly help cut those numbers down. 

It's clear with the last few days the Juan Soto decision opened the floodgates for teams that missed out. The Yankees pivoted to Max Fried, and the Red Sox countered with Crochet. There's plenty of high level talent still available in free agency as well, including Teoscar Hernandez, Alex Bregman and Corbin Burnes.

With the rest of the AL East making splashes, maybe it's the Orioles turn next. Stay tuned.