A talented left-hander has agreed to a record-setting six-year, $170 million contract extension with the Boston Red Sox, per reports. The deal, effective in 2026, includes an opt-out after 2030 and marks the largest contract ever for a pitcher with four-plus years of MLB service. ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the news.
BREAKING: Left-hander Garrett Crochet and the Boston Red Sox have finalized a six-year, $170 million extension, sources confirm to ESPN. The contract, which begins in 2026, includes a 2030 opt-out and is the biggest ever for a pitcher with 4+ years of service.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 1, 2025
The extension comes just days after Crochet’s self-imposed March 27 deadline. Though negotiations initially stalled, Crochet told WEEI’s Rob Bradford that the sides were close but couldn’t finalize terms in time.
“I never felt that way,” Crochet told Bradford. “You’d rather it be close than a huge gap where I think I’m a great pitcher and they don’t see it the same way.”
Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow had also indicated discussions would be paused until after the season.
“Right now, Garrett is preparing for the 2025 season opener. He’s been clear about wanting to focus on the season,” Breslow said before Boston’s first game in Texas. “We fully respect that and are excited for what he’ll bring.”
Boston paid a hefty price to acquire Crochet, sending four prospects—Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Wikelman Gonzalez—to the White Sox in December.
Crochet, who turns 26 in June, will earn $3.8 million in 2025 before the extension begins. He has the option to opt out at 31.
He is set to pitch again Wednesday in Baltimore, aiming to build on his Opening Day outing, where he allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts over five innings in a 5-2 Red Sox win—their lone victory so far.
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