Boston didn’t need to look any further. Garrett Crochet arrived, dominated, and is now at the heart of their championship plans. After an explosive 2025 season – finishing second in the Cy Young American League, making the All-MLB First Team, and leading all MLB in strikeouts – the Red Sox can confidently declare: they’ve locked down the future of rotation with a landmark contract.

And it’s no longer a hypothesis. $170 million over six years is now more than just a commitment – ​​it’s a statement of power.

The numbers tell the story brutally clear. 255 strikeouts – the most in MLB. 205.1 innings – leading the American League. An 18–5 record, 2.59 ERA. It wasn’t a good season. It was the season of a true ace, one who stepped onto the mound with the composure of someone in control.

Crochet didn’t just shut down opposing lineups. He reshaped the rhythm of the Red Sox. Each series began with the belief: with Crochet, Boston always had a chance to win. That’s what the team had lacked for years – a true top-of-the-rotation starter.

Just a year earlier, there was still considerable doubt. Crochet had too little starter experience. His injury history made many teams hesitant. But the Red Sox didn’t. They took a gamble. And that gamble paid off handsomely.

Crochet didn’t just respond – he shattered all doubts. Finishing second in the Cy Young AL race, he stood alongside the best shooters of his generation. More importantly, he did it in a Boston jersey, under the pressure of Fenway, and with the expectations of one of MLB’s most demanding markets.

When Crochet signed a six-year, $170 million contract extension last year, the message from the Red Sox leadership couldn’t have been clearer: we’re not waiting any longer.

The contract is cleverly structured but decisive:

Starting in 2026, with a $4 million signing bonus

$24 million in 2026

$28 million annually from 2027–2030

A player option after the 2030 season, allowing Crochet to become a free agent at age 31

There’s no full no-trade clause, but there’s a $2 million bonus if traded.

For a pitcher with a relatively short “starter track record,” this is absolute confidence. The Red Sox didn’t just buy what Crochet has done – they bought what he will become.

This contract makes Crochet the cornerstone of the Red Sox rotation until at least 2031. In an MLB where elite pitching is increasingly expensive and scarce, Boston has done what many teams dream of: locking down their ace before the market drives up the price.

More importantly, they did it before losing control at the end of 2026. Not waiting until the free agency window. Not playing the “wait another year” game. This is the kind of decision a team makes that believes the window for competition is open right now.

Born on June 21, 1999, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, Garrett Crochet made his MLB debut on September 18, 2020, with the Chicago White Sox. His path hasn’t been straight: bullpen, injury, comeback. But in 2024, he was named AL Comeback Player of the Year – a milestone that showed his steely resolve.

Since then, things have accelerated rapidly. Two All-Star appearances (2024, 2025). MLB strikeout leader of 2025. And now, the new icon of pitching in Boston.

Career through 2025: 27–24, ERA 2.95, 549 strikeouts – numbers rising at the pace of a peak-level star.

The $170 million wasn’t just for innings, ERA, or strikeouts. It bought confidence, stability, and a name to build a team around. In the locker room, Crochet is the standard. On the mound, he’s the message: Boston is here to win.

And with the player option after 2030, it’s also a fair deal. If Crochet continues to dominate, he has the right to choose. If the Red Sox want to keep him longer, they’ll have to continue to demonstrate ambition.

The Red Sox have waited a long time for this moment – ​​the moment they can point to a pitcher and say: this is our man. Not a temporary solution. It’s not a patch. It’s a foundation.

Garrett Crochet proved that with his historic 2025 season. And with a contract until 2031, the question is no longer whether he’s the ace.

The question now is: How far will Boston go with Garrett Crochet leading the way?