Boston reportedly will prioritize starting pitching to address one of its biggest needs. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow admitted the club would seek out every measure to acquire high-end talent.
ESPN MLB insiders Jeff Passan and Buster Olney this week previewed the biggest names to keep an eye on during the winter. One name they’re keeping an eye on for a potential trade is Garrett Crochet.
“I think it’s a slam dunk he’s going to be traded, and the two teams I’m watching are the Mets and the Red Sox,” Olney told Passan on “Baseball Tonight.”
“Teams that are trying to acquire Crochet know that he will sign an extension,” Passan added.
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New York is expected to be a major player in the offseason market. However, Crochet is exactly the front-end starter Boston needs.
The 25-year-old was one of the few bright spots for the Chicago White Sox in the 2024 season. He recorded a 3.58 ERA and 1.068 WHIP in 146 innings, which earned him his first All-Star nod. The biggest question with Crochet is whether he can keep up his production. The 2024 season was his first as a starter, and he missed the 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Crochet was a popular name before the trade deadline but wasn’t moved, so the White Sox could try to seek out as much value as they could. However, it could be a calculated risk Breslow and his staff could take.