White Sox Flame-Thrower Garrett Crochet Shines in Latest Start—Is a Blockbuster Trade Coming?

Garrett Crochet is rapidly transforming from intriguing trade acquisition to undeniable ace for the Boston Red Sox, and his meteoric rise is reshaping both the American League playoff picture and the long-term outlooks of two historic franchises. Garrett Crochet’s 100-mph heat fuels breakout season Through 17 starts, the 25-year-old left-hander owns a 7-4 record, a 2.20 ERA and 125 strikeouts, ranking top-10 in baseball in all three categories. Relying on a four-seam fastball that routinely touches 100 mph and a wipe-out slider, Crochet is holding opponents to a .206 batting average while carrying a 1.03 WHIP. His improved command—just 6.9 % walk rate—has turned high-octane stuff into elite consistency every fifth day. Why the Red Sox pounced last winter Boston shocked the Winter Meetings by sending four prospects, including right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez, to the Chicago White Sox in December to land Crochet. Club officials viewed the southpaw as a cost-controlled top-of-the-rotation arm and quickly proved it, locking him up to a six-year, $170 million extension that begins in 2026. The front-loaded deal—featuring an opt-out after the 2030 season—signals Fenway’s belief that Crochet can anchor the staff deep into the next decade. White Sox already reaping (and needing) trade return Chicago’s rebuild now hinges on the pieces acquired for Crochet, and management has begun promoting them aggressively. Gonzalez, owner of a 2.87 ERA at Triple-A Charlotte, is the latest to get the call as the South Siders search for silver linings in a last-place season. General manager Chris Getz admits the club expects to be “fairly active” again at the trade deadline, a tacit acknowledgment that dealing Crochet was only the first domino in a full-scale overhaul. All-Star buzz and awards chatter With voting set to close next week, Crochet is a frontrunner to earn his second consecutive All-Star berth—and his first in a Red Sox uniform. Analysts have already inserted his name into early Cy Young conversations, noting that his 2.60 FIP and 3.1 WAR place him among the statistical elite. If he maintains his current strikeout pace (10.4 K/9), he will surpass 220 punch-outs for the first time in his career, a milestone that often sways award voters. Key to Boston’s postseason hopes Manager Alex Cora has leaned on Crochet to neutralize power-heavy lineups within the rugged AL East. The lefty owns a 1.78 ERA at Fenway Park and has yet to allow a home run to right-handed batters in June, showcasing a revamped changeup that tunnels seamlessly off his heater. With the Red Sox hovering around the Wild Card cut-line, every dominant outing stretches the bullpen and keeps Boston in the hunt. What’s next Crochet lines up for his final start of June against the first-place New York Yankees on Sunday night. A strong showing on national television would only intensify the spotlight—and boost the narrative that Boston may have executed the trade of the decade. For a franchise eager to return to October, Garrett Crochet’s blazing fastball and sudden stardom might be the ace in the hole that tips the balance of power in the American League.