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On the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman delved into the news of Garrett Crochet's six-year, $170 million extension with the Boston Red Sox, a contract that raised some eyebrows given Crochet's limited track record as a starting pitcher.
The extension, which comes just a few months after Crochet was traded from the Chicago White Sox, reflects Boston's bet on Crochet's potential to evolve into a top-tier ace, even given his somewhat spotty injury history and unconventional pitching trajectory.
Drafted in 2020, Crochet's journey to the majors was fast-tracked due to the pandemic-canceled minor-league season that year, but then his emergence as a bullpen weapon was interrupted by Tommy John surgery. So when Crochet was named the White Sox's Opening Day starter a year ago, the news shocked most of the baseball industry.
"At the time, on this very podcast, we laughed at that," Mintz said.
Added Shusterman: "Everyone else was like, what are they thinking? What is going on?"
But then, as the hosts noted, Crochet was "simply marvelous" in his first year as a starter in 2024, arguably the lone bright spot on a historically horrible White Sox team. And once the deal with the Red Sox happened in December, it was clear that an extension between Crochet and Boston was the desired outcome on both sides.
However, as Shusterman pointed out, given Crochet's injury history and single season as a starting pitcher, the details of an extension were probably tricky to figure out.
"This is betting on a small sample of what he did last year and the fact that he is only 26 years old, and even though he's been in the big leagues now for half a decade, because he debuted immediately, we don't really know what we're getting," he said. "And yet the Red Sox clearly believe in what they're getting and were willing to commit a serious amount of money to a pitcher who has really only done it for one season."
Added Mintz: "They're betting on the package here. They're betting on the traits, they're betting on the fastball, they're betting on the work ethic, they're betting on the athleticism. They're betting that it will continue to be difficult to acquire aces."
The hosts also noted that the extension comes with significant financial nuances, including an opt-out clause after 2030, performance-based incentives and some injury contingencies, all of which underscore the team's reservations about Crochet's injury risks. On the flip side, Crochet's short track record could be seen as a positive thing.
"You could also spin it that way and be like, listen, we're getting him in his prime years, and he hasn't really thrown that many innings in his early 20s," Shusterman said. "So I have to imagine that was probably part of the calculus, too."
Ultimately, no matter how this deal turns out, the fact that the Red Sox are spending on young players and emerging talent is a good thing.
"The Red Sox are spending. I think that's what's significant," Mintz said. "I think there's been frustration within the fan base ... that they haven't been willing to push the chips in. They're doing that now."
To listen to the full episode and more, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.