It’s no secret that the Boston Red Sox are in pursuit of multiple starting pitchers this offseason, both in free agency and on the trade market. One starting pitcher trade target has drawn more attention from teams than any other, and that is Garret Crochet of the Chicago White Sox. Crochet’s market has been the source of speculation for some time, with some MLB insiders saying the White Sox’s asking price continues to rise.
With the Red Sox holding four top prospects that the front office and fans have little-to-no interest in trading away, what would a trade for Crochet look like? “Based on what the White Sox are saying, I think a package of (Triston) Casas, (Wilyer) Abreu and Connor Wong probably gets close to landing Crochet,” wrote Jim Bowden of The Athletic. “The Red Sox could then replace Abreu with prospect Roman Anthony in right field, replace Connor Wong with Kyle Teal at catcher, move (Rafael) Devers to first base and sign either Alex Bergman or Wily Adames in free agency.”
Casas was formerly ranked as the Red Sox’s No. 1 prospect, first debuting in September 2022. Since then, the 24-year-old has slashed .250/.357/.473 with an OPS of .830 (125 OPS+) in 222 games. Parting ways with Casas would be a polarizing decision as the first baseman has quickly become a fan favorite for his outspoken personality, his unique approach to the game, and his poise and power at the plate. The White Sox have reportedly set the asking price for any potential Crochet trade high, but if the Red Sox are not willing to part ways with one of their four coveted prospects, it could mean a very tough decision on the future of a homegrown slugger under team control until 2029.