Garrett Crochet felt a lot of relief after being traded to Red Sox
BOSTON -- Garrett Crochet spent much of the last year hearing his name thrown around in trade talks. When the White Sox finally dealt him to the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, it gave the starting pitcher a giant sense of relief.
Sure, the immediate aftermath of being traded can be a bit chaotic for any player. Crochet now has to find a new place to live, both in Boston and for February when he reports to Spring Training.
But that isn't a big concern for Crochet now that he gets to stop worrying about where he's going to pitch next. He's also thrilled that he gets to say he's a member of the Boston Red Sox.
"There was a lot of relief when it came to fruition," Crochet said Friday on a video conference call with reporters. "A lot of people might view the trade as adding some chaos in your life. But for me, I felt the chaos was stripped away. Worrying for eight months on end, knowing it's the writing on the wall, it was nice to be able to put it behind me and look forward to the season."
Crochet enjoyed success last season as he converted from a reliever to a starter for the 121-loss White Sox, and is now eager to lead the rotation of a Red Sox team that has some high hopes for 2025 and beyond.
Crochet hoping to help turn Red Sox back into a contender
The Red Sox missed the playoffs for a third straight season in 2024, and for the fifth time in the six years since they won a World Series in 2018. The team has been in desperate need of an ace to front its rotation, and Crochet hopes to fill that void.
Boston still has some work to do to get back to contender status, but adding a potentially dominant lefty in Crochet is a good start for Craig Breslow and crew this winter. There is a real feeling around the team that they'll be in the mix, which is not something Crochet got to experience with the White Sox in 2024.
"That is very exciting. I was in the playoffs in 2021 and shortly after I debuted in 2020, and they were early exits both times," he said. "I know what the feeling is like, and I'd like to lengthen that as much as possible and make a deep run."
Crochet said that he grew up watching David Ortiz, and getting to call Fenway Park his home will be very "surreal." He's hoping to really pick the brain of Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, who is a special assistant for the organization.
"Having any conversation with Pedro would be my ideal world," he said.
Crochet had to pick a new number with the Red Sox
Like Pedro did throughout his career, Crochet also wore the No. 45. That obviously isn't an option for him in Boston, so he had to look elsewhere. But the number he wore in college was also off limits.
"That was one of the first things I realized after the trade went through," Crochet noted Friday. "I wore No. 34 in college, and that one is retired [for Ortiz.]"
How about his high school number? Another swing and a miss, as the No. 14 is also retired in honor of Jim Rice.
So Crochet will now wear No. 35 for the Red Sox.
"It was funny how it all worked out," he said of landing on this fourth pick.
Crochet ready to be a bulldog in Red Sox rotation
No matter what digits are on his back, Crochet is ready to lead the Boston rotation in 2025. Last year was his first full season as a starter, but he was limited to just 146 innings as the White Sox restricted his work down the stretch.
He doesn't think he'll have any such limitations in Boston. Give him the ball, and get out of the way.
"In terms of how long my leash will be, I hope to not even be wearing a collar," he said.
Crochet said that his transition from the bullpen to the rotation wasn't very difficult, and he believes that having a set five-day routine is what's best for his health. He underwent Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2022 season, but said Friday that he felt great physically throughout his first season as a starter.
His biggest gripe was that he wanted to pitch more down the stretch.
"It was frustrating in a lot of ways, but at the same time I understood the usage concerns," he said. "There was a lot of things I was working on in the second half that I could have expanded on had the innings been normal. But at the same time, those are the cards I was dealt and I was just getting my work in as well as I could."
Crochet relies on his plus-fastball and a nasty slider, and was pleased with what he was able to get out of his changeup and sweeper. He also started adding a cutter to the mix in spring training, giving him a five-pitch arsenal.
It let to a lot of frustrated hitters in 2024, as Crochet struck out 209 batters last season and averaged a robust 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings. He had excellent command of each of those pitches, issuing just 33 walks. He knew that as a starter, he had to make the most of every pitch that he threw.
"It was more of a mentality that throwing strikes is ultimately what is going to help the team and preserve the bullpen. You have to give the hitter a chance at some point, and eventually it developed into a natural confidence," he said.
Is Crochet open to signing a long-term extension with the Red Sox?
The Red Sox traded four prospects to get Crochet from Chicago, including catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Brenden Montgomery. He's under team control for two more years, but to really make the trade worthwhile, the team needs to sign the 25-year-old to a long-term extension.
But for now, that isn't on Crochet's mind. He's focused on preparing for his first season in Boston, and will deal with contract discussions when the time comes.
"I really haven't had much time to give a lot of thought. For me, this time of the year I'm focused on my training and getting ready for spring training. So until I'm told otherwise, that is going to be my main focus," he said.