There’s finally some good news for the Boston Red Sox. They’ve signed their new ace, Garrett Crochet, to a long-term deal.
It’s the sort of positive update Boston is in dire need of. The team currently sits dead last in the AL East with a record of 1-4. The franchise slugger, Rafael Devers, is off to a historically slow start.
But in the bigger picture, Boston no longer needs to worry about its ace after news broke Monday night that the team had signed Crochet to a six-year, $170 million contract extension.
Here’s a roundup of reaction to the news around Boston media:
“There’ll be no more talk of the Red Sox trying to emulate the Tampa Bay Rays, or that they’re unwilling to land star players. The Sox are unapologetically a big market force again.”
Tyler Milliken, Producer for Zolak & Bertrand
“INJECT IT INTO MY VEINS BABY!”
Jared Carrabis, Underdog Fantasy
“This is exactly what everybody wanted. Garrett Crochet gets his money; it’s a great deal for him. The Red Sox get their guy. They’ve traded top prospects to get him and they extend him. Shout out to Craig Breslow.”
“(The contract) buys out four years of free agency, and is the most lucrative contract for a pitcher with 4 years of service time in history, eclipsing Jacob deGrom’s $137.5 million deal with the Mets.”
It is a lengthy deal and a very reasonably — when it comes to the Red Sox and the play — a very reasonable amount of money for both.”
“The Red Sox, in need of an anchor for their rotation, pursued Crochet for much of the winter before finalizing the deal at the Winter Meetings, marking one of the biggest trades of the offseason. Now they have locked up their No. 1 starter of the future.”
“From the club standpoint, there’s risk involved given Crochet’s brief track record as a starter and his spotty injury history. However, there’s no doubting the stuff, the velocity, or the dominance he’s flashed thus far as a member of a big-league rotation.”
“He’ll be the first pitcher ever to sign a deal for at least $100 million before throwing at least 800 innings in either MLB or Japan’s NPB. That inexperience is a double-edged sword.”
“From Pedro Martinez to Curt Schilling to Jon Lester to Chris Sale, Boston has had its share of marquee aces in the 21st century.
“Crochet now has a chance to join that group and do something that all of them did — be part of a World Series championship team with the Red Sox.”
“The 25-year-old Crochet had previously said that he did not want to continue contract talks once the season started, but there seemed to be a possibility for some wiggle room when he told WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford on Friday that the two sides had gotten close before Opening Day and that there wouldn’t be a large gap to bridge once talks resumed.
“As it turns out, they never stopped talking at all, and now the Red Sox have their in place through the end of the decade.”
Ben Verlander, Flippin Bats Pod
“I love the Red Sox getting that extension done with Crochet. You traded for your guy. Now lock him down for years to come. Good for him. Good for the Sox.
“Monday’s news stands as a stark reversal from what had been a months-long negotiation between the Red Sox and Crochet’s camp that had yet to reach a resolution.”
“Much-needed good news for the Red Sox: Garrett Crochet has agreed to a six-year, $170 million extension. The deal runs from 2026-2031 with an opt out after 2030.”
“Most elite pitchers don’t hit the open market until their late 20s or early 30s, and when they do they often command huge dollars despite being near the point where history suggests a decline should be imminent.
“Crochet will be a bargain by comparison at less than $30 million a year on average, and he should just be getting started.”
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