ONE YEAR LATER: PRIDE REMAINS AS CROCHET SHATTERS DOUBTERS
One year ago, on December 11, the Boston Red Sox sent shockwaves through the baseball world by trading four top prospects, including the highly-regarded Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery, to the Chicago White Sox for left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet.
The move drew instant doubts, debates, and plenty of criticism. Crochet was an “unproven but electric arm”—a former reliever who had never thrown more than 54 innings in a season before his conversion to a starter in 2024. Critics questioned sacrificing so much future talent for a pitcher with a serious injury history (Tommy John surgery in 2022) and limited starting experience.
But today, looking back at that pivotal December 11 deal, only one feeling remains in Boston: pride—because the Red Sox truly found their ACE.
THE UNPROVEN ARM DELIVERS
Garrett Crochet’s 2025 season was nothing short of spectacular, turning him from a gamble into the unquestioned leader of the Boston rotation:
- Innings Workload: He shattered expectations by pitching over 200 innings, leading all of Major League Baseball and putting to rest all concerns about his durability post-surgery.
- Strikeout King: Crochet also led the American League in strikeouts, utilizing his high-velocity sinker and devastating sweeper to dominate opposing lineups.
- The Postseason Moment: He cemented his status as a big-game pitcher by delivering an absolute gem in the AL Wild Card series against the Yankees, holding them to one run over 7.2 masterful innings.
Manager Alex Cora, who advocated fiercely for the trade, spoke glowingly about the transformation: “He was in a situation last year where he was learning how to become a starter. He got traded to become the ace. He got paid like an ace, and since Day One, he has acted like that.”
THE LESSON: RISK REWARDED
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow took a massive risk on a pitcher who had to convince the White Sox to let him start. That risk has been monumentally rewarded. While the prospects traded—Teel and Montgomery—are showing promise in Chicago, the immediate, franchise-altering impact of having a certified ace in the rotation made the steep price worth it.
he biggest rewards come from the boldest, most criticized gambles. One year later, Red Sox Nation wouldn’t trade their electric ace for anything.
