Why Craig Breslow Saw Garrett Crochet Red Sox Extension Worthy Of ‘Risk’

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow doesn’t exactly take on the persona of risk taker.

Breslow always appears even-keeled, using his Yale-educated mind to analytically assess situations as they arise.

But when it came time to hand Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet a massive six-year, $170 million contract extension, Breslow had to take a risk. But he believes it was well worth it.

“There’s always risk associated with these types of contracts,” Breslow told reporters Tuesday after Crochet’s deal was officially announced, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “I think we recognize that. At the same time, we’re talking about an elite starting pitcher who’s 25 years old and someone we believe will continue to develop and whose best days are ahead of him.”

The Red Sox acquired Crochet from the Chicago White Sox in December with the intimidating left-hander having two seasons of team control remaining on his contract.

Discussions about a contract extension quickly came up despite Grochet’s inexperience as a starter. He pitched as a full-time starter only in the 2024 season and the White Sox limited him to 146 innings. But Crochet displayed his impressive arsenal to the tune of 209 strikeouts, a 3.58 ERA and his first All-Star appearance.

So, while Crochet didn’t exactly have a sustained past performance to lean on, he did have the potential. That’s where the risk came in for Breslow and the Red Sox front office. Banking on potential can always be tricky as Crochet wouldn’t be the first player with budding stardom to not pan out.

But the Red Sox still decided to give Crochet a big payday, the largest for a pitcher with Crochet’s service time of four-plus years, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The Red Sox certainly feel confident with everything Crochet can offer, both in the present and especially in the future.

“We’re looking not just at what he has done but what we believe he’s going to be able to do,” Breslow said. “And when you couple the talent with just the commitment to being the best pitcher he possibly can, this is the type of bet that we are excited to make.”