Committing nine figures to a pitcher is always open to heavy scrutiny in baseball, particularly when for a younger arm with relatively little starting experience. The Boston Red Sox made a big statement when they threw a $170 million bet. The long-term contract, announced just days into the 2025 season, was a huge faith in the young southpaw. But when his early performances failed to immediately quiet all questions about the investment, pressure mounted on the organization’s leadership to confirm their bold call.
The Red Sox finalized a six-year, $170 million extension with Garrett Crochet, extending him through 2031, just months after the team acquired him from the White Sox in December 2024. Starting in 2026, the deal will include Cy Young escalators that could increase its maximum total value, a player opt-out after 2030, and a conditional club option based on future health.
That massive deal generated instant criticism, particularly since Crochet was still settling in. This led Sam Kennedy, the president and CEO of the Red Sox, to briefly defend the team’s massive purchase. Kennedy summed up the organization’s ambitious mindset in four simple words: “We’re hungry for more.” His statement came following Crochet’s Red Sox debut—a decent, if unremarkable, outing against the Texas Rangers on March 28 (5 innings, 2 earned runs).
Red Sox Ace Garrett Crochet on his $170M Contract Extension |Red Sox Press Conference https://t.co/vBrr7K0OrU
— NESN (@NESN) April 4, 2025
The “rocky start” label applied to Crochet was based mainly on comparing that solid debut against Texas to his modest, up-and-down spring training. During March, the talented southpaw posted a troubling 4.50 ERA with a high 1.58 WHIP over just 12 innings pitched across five starts. Though his regular-season debut showed improved ERA (3.60) and WHIP (1.20) numbers, his strikeout rate dropped significantly compared to spring training (from 11.25 K/9 down to 7.20 K/9). That slight drop, along with durability concerns following brief spring appearances, sparked early doubts about his massive new contract.
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