Garrett Crochet has Impressed as the Boston Red Sox’s New Ace
Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer
Garrett Crochet: Boston Red Sox Ace Emerges From a Lopsided Steal
When the Red Sox flipped Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth for Garrett Crochet, most fans barely blinked — but front offices around baseball should have. Somehow, Boston snagged a potential ace-level lefty for a pair of good but hardly untouchable prospects.
Fast-forward to midseason 2025, and it looks like a masterstroke. Crochet has been everything the Red Sox hoped for and more — a strike-throwing power lefty, finally healthy and finally thriving in a starting role. Just look at this week’s line: 7 innings, 10 strikeouts, 0 earned runs, 3 walks. Dominant.
Crochet’s breakout is giving Boston something they haven’t had consistently since Chris Sale’s peak: a true top-of-the-rotation hammer who can punch out double-digit hitters and anchor a young, volatile staff.
The Stuff Is Real — But So Are the Questions
This isn’t smoke and mirrors. Crochet’s fastball is back to the high 90s, his slider is slicing through righties, and he’s mixing in the changeup just enough to keep hitters honest. The strikeout upside has never been in doubt — the only question has ever been workload and durability.
That’s the key risk here: how many innings can Boston realistically squeeze out of Crochet in his first full season as a major league starter? He’s never crossed the 100-inning threshold in a single pro season — not once. And while the Red Sox would love to ride him deep into September, they know what happens when you push a young power lefty too far, too fast.
So, for fantasy managers or bettors, this is where the flag pops up. The innings cap conversation isn’t if, but when.
Betting Angle: What’s the Smart Crochet Play?
For daily and weekly props, Crochet is a gift. His strikeout lines are aggressive, but they’re justified — if he’s healthy, he’ll miss bats. He’s also learned how to pitch more efficiently, which gives him a better shot to clear outs props, too.
If you’re betting him, look for matchup-based Ks or outs pitched. He’s not a “blind over” like Spencer Strider of the Atlanta Braves used to be, but you should keep backing him against whiff-heavy lineups.
Where you should pump the brakes is in season-long futures: overs on innings pitched, total wins, or “to lead MLB in strikeouts” type markets. The odds won’t fully bake in the likely reality that Boston will limit him if they fall out of the AL East chase — or at the very least, pull back in September to protect their shiny new ace’s elbow.
Fantasy Play: Peak Time to Cash Out?
If you grabbed Crochet off waivers or drafted him late as a stash, you’ve already struck gold. So now what? If your staff is thin and you need every strikeout you can get, there’s no reason to force a sell. But if you’re sitting on a deep rotation, this is exactly the time to see what Crochet’s value looks like on the trade market.
A young lefty, punching out 10 a night for Boston, with big box scores and highlight clips? You might never get a better window to flip him for a top-tier bat or a more durable workhorse starter.
Big Picture: Boston’s Gamble Is Paying Off
In the bigger picture, the Red Sox front office should get a tip of the cap. They stole Crochet for a reasonable price and gave him a chance to grow into what the White Sox could never seem to unlock. That’s how rebuilds flip: you turn spare parts into a No. 1 starter.
If Boston can stay in the mix in the AL Wild Card race, they’ll keep riding Crochet’s arm as far as it goes — and hope the innings hold up. If they slide out of the race by August, expect them to protect their investment and shorten his outings. Either way, for now, he’s must-watch TV every fifth day.
The Bottom Line: Strikeouts Now, Be Careful Later
Crochet has been everything Boston needed and everything fantasy managers dreamed about — but the clock is ticking. Bettors and managers should enjoy the strikeouts and scoreless innings now, but keep an eye on the innings tracker and remember: in September, he might be a five-and-fly or even shut down altogether.
Ride him smartly — and don’t get greedy. The Red Sox didn’t steal an ace just to burn him out in year one. Neither should you.
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