Article: The Red Sox Have Begun Extension Talks With Garrett Crochet

[Davy Andrews]

With the arbitration deadline looming, the two sides seem to be thinking long-term.

The Red Sox gave up a haul of prospects for Garrett Crochet, headlined by catcher Kyle Teel, who could be playing for the White Sox as early as this season. They didn’t necessarily make that sacrifice because they thought that the last two years of Crochet’s arbitration period were worth it on their own. They were also paying for the chance to sign the 25-year-old left-hander to a long-term contract extension. On Wednesday night, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported that preliminary dialog about an extension has begun between the Red Sox and Crochet’s representatives at agency CAA. At the moment, however, the main focus is on agreeing on a contract value for this year, as the arbitration deadline is today.

That could actually matter a great deal in terms of getting an extension done. Arbitration is an unpleasant experience, with the player’s representatives making a pitch for why their client should be paid a higher amount and the team’s making a pitch for why the player should be paid a lower amount. An independent arbitrator then chooses one of those numbers. Because of the adversarial nature, and because the amounts in question are miles below what the player is actually worth on the open market, it can get ugly. In extreme cases, the team’s presentation – in which they basically lay out a detailed case for why the player is worthless, sometimes to save as little as a few hundred thousand dollars – can have ugly side effects. Josh Hader said publicly that the process poisoned his relationship with the Brewers.

MLB Trade Rumors predicted that Crochet would end up with $2.9 million during the 2025 season, a fraction of what he’s worth. Avoiding arbitration could help build some goodwill and avoid acrimony going into serious extension negotiations, even if it means paying Crochet more right now. Besides, if Crochet does sign an extension, it will buy out his arbitration years for much more than even the highest possible figure he could make in arbitration, preempting the deal that the sides are currently working on. Right now, the name of the game is demonstrating that the team is serious.

That’s not to say that negotiations will be easy. Craig Breslow has yet to negotiate a big contract during his time leading the Red Sox. These negotiations could have a big effect on the future of the team and his legacy. Crochet’s future as a starter has some real concerns. He was a reliever coming up and missed the entire 2022 season due to Tommy John surgery. All 32 of his big-league starts came in 2024. He threw just 146 innings and pitched into the seventh just three times all season. He’s pitched like an ace, but the risk created by his short track record and injury history will limit his value. The two sides will have to balance that risk with his tremendous upside. By all indications, Crochet is acutely aware of this dynamic. That’s why he made it clear at the trade deadline that he intended to take care of his arm. He planned to pitch during the playoffs only if the team that traded for him agreed to an extension beforehand, which ended up killing interest in a midseason move. It’s hard to fault Crochet for protecting his future that way, considering that until 2024, the highest innings total of his career was 65, and it came when he was a 20-year-old sophomore at Tennessee in 2019.

There’s no guarantee that an extension will actually happen. Cotillo has said it’s “unclear if the sides have gotten close yet.” but for now, these are all good indications.  

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[moonslav59]

I hope they can get a deal done, even if forced to include opt-outs.

[Bellhorn04]

They have to get a deal done and I'm pretty sure they will.  It's mandatory after what they've invested in him and their need for a TOTR fixture.

  

[Old Red]

13 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I hope they can get a deal done, even if forced to include opt-outs.

I’d be very surprised if an opt-out isn’t included like a Bogey type at 3 years.

 

[Bellhorn04]

Opt-out mania!  

It'd be interesting to see many long-term deals now have NO opt-out.

 

[Hugh2]

It's very rare for an opt out to not be included now a days.  

[Bellhorn04]

Looks like Fried's contract has no opt-out, just a no-trade clause.  

[mvp 78]

51 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I’d be very surprised if an opt-out isn’t included like a Bogey type at 3 years.

 

3 years is too soon since they already have control of him for 2. 

[Bellhorn04]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

3 years is too soon since they already have control of him for 2. 

I think he meant 3 years from the start of the extension.  

[mvp 78]

Just now, Bellhorn04 said:

I think he meant 3 years from the start of the extension.  

So they agree to one year ARB and then an extension with a 3 year opt out starting in 26. So a 4 year deal? 

 

[Bellhorn04]

24 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

So they agree to one year ARB and then an extension with a 3 year opt out starting in 26. So a 4 year deal? 

 

Personally I'm not a big fan of opt-outs.  They kind of hang over the contract almost from the get-go.   

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Personally I'm not a big fan of opt-outs.  They kind of hang over the contract almost from the get-go.   

I'm fine with a one year ARB agreement and then a 6 year contract with 4 year opt out. I think getting less than 5 years out of Crochett would be a nightmare. 

[Old Red]

35 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Personally I'm not a big fan of opt-outs.  They kind of hang over the contract almost from the get-go.   

Agree. JD held the Red Sox hostage for a couple of years.

[Old Red]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

So they agree to one year ARB and then an extension with a 3 year opt out starting in 26. So a 4 year deal? 

 

I said like a Bogey 6 yr contract with an opt-out after three, which he took. The Red Sox would have to make the offer awfully good for Cro to make it longer than that, which I’m not all that confident the Red Sox can, or will do. Three years of control is better than two, but no doubt 4+ would be better.

[mvp 78]

Just now, Old Red said:

I said like a Bogey 6 yr contract with an opt-out after three, which he took. The Red Sox would have to make the offer awfully good for Cro to make it longer than that, which I’m not all that confident the Red Sox can, or will do. Three years of control is better than two, but no doubt 4+ would be better.

So an extension that is just inclusive of a 3 year opt out after 2027. Awful stuff. 

He's going to make next to nothing in ARB the next two years and you could offer a QO after '26. Only gaining one year of control doesn't move the needle at all IMO.

[Old Red]

6 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

So an extension that is just inclusive of a 3 year opt out after 2027. Awful stuff. 

He's going to make next to nothing in ARB the next two years and you could offer a QO after '26. Only gaining one year of control doesn't move the needle at all IMO.

Do you have confidence the Red Sox are going to offer Cro Man an offer he can’t refuse with no opt-out that’s at least 4 years, or more?

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

Do you have confidence the Red Sox are going to offer Cro Man an offer he can’t refuse with no opt-out that’s at least 4 years, or more?

You want to offer him a deal that gives him an opt out after 2027. If you were Bres, you'd be fired after 4 years just like the rest of them for doing that. 

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

You want to offer him a deal that gives him an opt out after 2027. If you were Bres, you'd be fired after 4 years just like the rest of them for doing that. 

I haven’t said anything about what I would do. All my post have been speculating what the Red Sox would do,  and the lack of confidence I have in the Red Sox Baseball ops to make a long term offer with no opt-outs that will be acceptable to Cro Man for 4 years, or beyond. The trade was made with only two years of control, which some on here have complained about given the prospects the Red Sox gave up. If you have confidence in Brez fine, but I’m on a wait, and see.

[moonslav59]

The problem might be that Crochet won't accept any extension without an opt-out after 2027 or 2028. He'd be smart to insist on it, the way prices are going up. If he has a great 3-4 years, he can make way more: if not he just does not opt out. Maybe you try to structure the deal where years 4, 5 and 6 are at $32-35M a year, so he'd have to do real good to opt out, but at his age, he may opt out, anyway.

Of course we all want 5-7 years with no opt out, and maybe it's worth paying way extra for that, but them what if he gets hurt, all the time, or underperforms. I guess an opt out would be any different in the latter case.

Just get it done! You have to add at least 2 guaranteed years to save some face and 3+ to be okay.

 

[Bellhorn04]

3 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

The problem might be that Crochet won't accept any extension without an opt-out after 2027 or 2028. He'd be smart to insist on it, the way prices are going up. If he has a great 3-4 years, he can make way more: if not he just does not opt out. Maybe you try to structure the deal where years 4, 5 and 6 are at $32-35M a year, so he'd have to do real good to opt out, but at his age, he may opt out, anyway.

Of course we all want 5-7 years with no opt out, and maybe it's worth paying way extra for that, but them what if he gets hurt, all the time, or underperforms. I guess an opt out would be any different in the latter case.

Just get it done! You have to add at least 2 guaranteed years to save some face and 3+ to be okay.

 

I agree with mvp that an opt-out after 2027 or 2028 would be bad business on the Sox part.  2029 is the earliest it's even worth considering.

[moonslav59]

Just now, Bellhorn04 said:

I agree with mvp that an opt-out after 2027 or 2028 would be bad business on the Sox part.  2029 is the earliest it's even worth considering.

I totally agree, but what if Crochet says no to any extension without an opt out after "27 or '28? 

We just give up on adding 1 or 2 years out of spite?

[Old Red]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

The problem might be that Crochet won't accept any extension without an opt-out after 2027 or 2028. He'd be smart to insist on it, the way prices are going up. If he has a great 3-4 years, he can make way more: if not he just does not opt out. Maybe you try to structure the deal where years 4, 5 and 6 are at $32-35M a year, so he'd have to do real good to opt out, but at his age, he may opt out, anyway.

Of course we all want 5-7 years with no opt out, and maybe it's worth paying way extra for that, but them what if he gets hurt, all the time, or underperforms. I guess an opt out would be any different in the latter case.

Just get it done! You have to add at least 2 guaranteed years to save some face and 3+ to be okay.

 

Let’s remember that while Cro Man has good stuff he’s still an unproven commodity with only 1 year of 100+ innings. With the Red Sox rash of injuries lately anything can happen.

[Old Red]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I agree with mvp that an opt-out after 2027 or 2028 would be bad business on the Sox part.  2029 is the earliest it's even worth considering.

All is very true, but remember this is the Red Sox were talking about.

[Bellhorn04]

11 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I totally agree, but what if Crochet says no to any extension without an opt out after "27 or '28? 

We just give up on adding 1 or 2 years out of spite?

Would you really give him a 6-7 year extension that he can opt out of after 1 year?

To me that would be idiocy and malfeasance.

[mvp 78]

16 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

The problem might be that Crochet won't accept any extension without an opt-out after 2027 or 2028. He'd be smart to insist on it, the way prices are going up. If he has a great 3-4 years, he can make way more: if not he just does not opt out. Maybe you try to structure the deal where years 4, 5 and 6 are at $32-35M a year, so he'd have to do real good to opt out, but at his age, he may opt out, anyway.

Of course we all want 5-7 years with no opt out, and maybe it's worth paying way extra for that, but them what if he gets hurt, all the time, or underperforms. I guess an opt out would be any different in the latter case.

Just get it done! You have to add at least 2 guaranteed years to save some face and 3+ to be okay.

 

I just don't see the value in only adding one year on the backend as they'd be greatly increasing his contract size in year 2 when he'd still make fairly little in ARB. 

[Old Red]

13 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I totally agree, but what if Crochet says no to any extension without an opt out after "27 or '28? 

We just give up on adding 1 or 2 years out of spite?

At the moment Cro Man has the upper hand in all of this. Like I keep saying the Red Sox are going to have to come up with an offer to good to refuse without an early opt-out.

[Old Red]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I just don't see the value in only adding one year on the backend as they'd be greatly increasing his contract size in year 2 when he'd still make fairly little in ARB. 

The Red Sox might not have a choice.

[mvp 78]

15 minutes ago, Old Red said:

At the moment Cro Man has the upper hand in all of this. Like I keep saying the Red Sox are going to have to come up with an offer to good to refuse without an early opt-out.

Ignore ARB for this season (which would pay him less than 5M) and give him a 7/175 with an opt out at 5 years. Even that is probably an overpay.

[moonslav59]

46 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Would you really give him a 6-7 year extension that he can opt out of after 1 year?

To me that would be idiocy and malfeasance.

I'd give him that over nothing but 2 arb years and a bolt, yes.

[mvp 78]

12 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'd give him that over nothing but 2 arb years and a bolt, yes.

How do you give him an extension where he can bolt after one year that isn't him leaving after 2026?!?!?