It's been reported over and over that the Boston Red Sox hope to deepen their starting rotation by any means necessary — through free agency or the trade market.
Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet has been named among Boston's top pitching targets. He posted a 3.58 ERA and 1.07 WHIP for the worst team in MLB history over 146 innings last season, and his talents would be better suited elsewhere.
The Red Sox have six top 100 prospects and a deep pool of position player talent in their farm system. They would be a severe threat to any other teams in the trade market for similar candidates, but a recent trade proposal for Crochet from MLB insider Jim Bowden is excessive, to say the least.
"Based on what the White Sox are saying, I think a package of Casas, Abreu and Connor Wong probably gets close to landing Crochet," Bowden said in his latest trade rumors piece. "The Red Sox could then replace Abreu with prospect Roman Anthony in right field, replace Wong with Kyle Teel at catcher, move Devers to first base and sign either Alex Bregman or Willy Adames in free agency."
There are a few flaws with this proposal, one of them being that this is way too big a commitment from the Red Sox. Casas and Abreu were both Rookie of the Year candidates, and Abreu just took home a Gold Glove for his defensive work in the hardest right field in MLB. While pitching hardware is harder to come by and Crochet had an excellent campaign in 2024, this is far too big an investment from Boston for a pitcher who's only posted one season as a full-time starter.
MLB insider Jim Bowden floats excessive Red Sox trade package for White Sox's Garrett Crochet
I love Garrett Crochet and want him on the Red Sox.
— Boston Sports Gordo (@BOSSportsGordo) November 25, 2024
That said, if it takes Triston Casas to get it done as @JimBowdenGM says here, hard pass from me. pic.twitter.com/CJzLxF2yPn
Wong is also the only catcher on the Red Sox's 40-man roster at this point. Boston's chief baseball officer Craig Breslow cast doubt on Teel's ability to make the Opening Day roster in comments from MLB general manager meetings, and Wong may be the team's strongest backstop option come Opening Day.
In Casas' ROY-contending season, he was one of the best first basemen in the American League. He batted .263/.367/.490 with a .857 OPS, 24 homers and 70 walks in 132 games. He finished the season with the fifth-highest OPS in the AL and a 93rd-percentile walk rate. In his 63-game 2024 slate, Casas slugged at just over a 32-homer pace for a full 162 games.
Breslow has also expressed reluctance to trade Casas at the GM meetings. The Red Sox organization sees the first baseman's game-altering potential but also clarified that no one is off the trade block this winter.
The 2024 White Sox were the worst team in MLB history, with a frightening and staggering 41-121 record. Their need for a lot of position player talent is clear, but the Red Sox absolutely should not sacrifice three potential everyday players for Crochet — with this particular alignment, they's have a lot of rebuilding to do. Wong is one of the team's few righty bats and Boston holds Casas in high regard. If Casas, Wong and Abreu are the trade package the White Sox demand for Crochet, the Red Sox may have no choice but to pursue other trades.