Garrett Crochet disaster adds Red Sox fears to White Sox's blockbuster trade

Garrett Crochet had a remarkable 2025 season for the Red Sox. Crochet led baseball with 205.1 innings in 2025, and he posted a 2.59 ERA with 255 strikeouts in that span. He emerged as one of the premiere starting pitchers in all of baseball after moving from the White Sox to the Red Sox in a blockbuster trade the offseason before. Crochet’s start to 2026 hasn’t been nearly as productive, and Monday’s latest nightmare may cause Red Sox fans some concerns. 

Crochet couldn’t make it out of the second inning in Monday’s outing against the Minnesota Twins, allowing 11 runs (ten earned) on nine hits with three walks. Crochet’s velocity was way down from its normal numbers, prompting concerns about his health. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after the game that Crochet was healthy, and Crochet confirmed this information, which might be even more concerning. Whether he’s healthy or not, this is not something that ever happened to Crochet last season, and that’s a red flag for the Red Sox. 

Garrett Crochet's trade brought the White Sox impact talent

From the White Sox perspective, the trade already looked impactful for the organization. Three of the four players acquired in the deal have already made their big league debuts and are contributing at the highest level. Outfielder Braden Montgomery is one of the top ranked prospects in the White Sox organization and could be in line to make his debut later this year. Kyle Teel was perhaps the White Sox best all-around hitter in 2025 and he should be returning from a preseason hamstring injury in the next couple weeks. Chase Meidroth is an excellent contact hitter with a strong feel for the strike zone. He can be a strong top-of-the-order bat and he’s able to get more consistent. The lone pitcher in the deal, Wikelman Gonzalez, began the year with Triple-A Charlotte but posted decent numbers in a small stint in the White Sox bullpen last season. 

Just a little over a year after the trade, it’s far too early to declare it a win or loss for either team. In fact, it very well could be a win for both teams. Garrett Crochet has proven his ability to be one of the most dominant starters in baseball when healthy, and the White Sox may have multiple difference-markers from the deal. But the Red Sox will need to be careful with Crochet. His innings-load in 2025 was by far the most in a season in his career. It’s certainly possible he’s dealing with a bit of arm fatigue and needs to be rested for a few weeks. As painful as it is, the Red Sox need to prioritize the long-term outlook of their 26 year-old ace over success in the short term. 

I have long been of the opinion that the White Sox should’ve extended Garrett Crochet instead of trading him last offseason. He quickly became one of my favorite players as one of the long bright spots during the abysmal 2024 campaign. I will always root for Garrett Crochet to succeed, unless he’s facing the White Sox. I hope for his sake, and the sake of the Red Sox that Crochet is truly healthy and that Monday night’s disaster will soon become just a blip on the radar.

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