On Wednesday, Boston Red Sox lefty Garrett Crochet addressed the possibility of signing a long-term extension for the first time since last year's trade deadline. At least for the time being, it doesn't sound like something that's high on his priority list.
"There's always pros and cons to everything. I think that the long-term security is definitely something attractive," Crochet told reporters, including Chris Cotillo of MassLive. "As players, we like to look out for our family first. But with last year being my first taste of starting, part of me also wants to see what I could do with the full season of innings workload ... Part of me wants to see what I could do in a full season before, I suppose, locking myself into a certain bracket of player."
You may recall that Crochet delivered a curveball at last year's deadline, when, as a member of the Chicago White Sox, it was reported that he was not open to pitching into the postseason unless he first received a long-term extension. Crochet's reasoning was straightforward: he did not want to deviate from his workload plans and risk injury unless he gained security in the process. Predictably, that revelation prevented the White Sox from trading Crochet until this offseason, when they shipped him to the Red Sox.
Crochet, 25, went on to notch 32 starts over the course of the season, compiling a 3.58 ERA (115 ERA+) and a 6.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the process. He was also named to his first career All-Star Game.
Crochet is correct in his larger assessment of the situation. Signing a long-term deal before reaching free agency (something he's slated to do after the 2026 season) is all about trade-offs -- specifically, that between earning certainty and opportunity. Between his injury history and thin track record as a starter, he'll need to continue to produce (and stay healthy) if he wants to maximize the offers coming his way down the road.
