The Boston Red Sox fell to 12-19 on the day Garrett Crochet was placed on the IL with shoulder inflammation. This felt like a season-defining blow, as Crochet, the AL Cy Young runner-up in 2025, was set to miss substantial time, with the Red Sox already seven games under .500. Instead,Boston has gone 59-40 with Crochet on the IL, settling into the second Wild Card spot in the American League.
I'm not here to say the Red Sox are a better team without Crochet, but they've certainly played better without him than with him. I'm also not here to say that they've benefited from the injury, but they've certainly played well — and due to a unique contract clause, they appear to have benefited financially as well.
Unique Garrett Crochet contract clause benefits the Red Sox
Crochet inked a six-year, $170 million extension with the Red Sox shortly after Opening Day last season, giving the lefty the security he coveted and giving the Red Sox contractual control of the prime years of one of the most talented starters in the sport. That deal included an opt-out after the fifth year, giving Crochet a chance to test the open market early if he so desired. There was a caveat, though.
Should Crochet miss at least 120 consecutive days due to a left arm injury over the course of the contract, that option would be voided. Instead, a conditional club option worth $15 million would be tacked onto the 2032 season, giving the Red Sox an extra year of cheap control. This would essentially make the contract a seven-year, $185 million deal instead, with Boston getting an absolute steal (if Crochet is healthy and productive) in 2032.
Well, Crochet has now eclipsed 120 consecutive days lost due to the injury, meaning that clause has kicked in. That player opt-out will be voided, and the team option will be solidified, making his contract a bit friendlier for Boston. So the Red Sox have been dominant despite being without their ace, they're hoping to get said ace back at some point this season and his contract will be friendlier? That sounds pretty sweet. Crochet will have a lot to prove for that to become team-friendly, though.
“I would have liked to avoid it just because as a player, when you’re earlier in free agency in your (career), it’s huge,” Crochet acknowledged. “At the same time, I’m worried about the contract that’s at hand. I’m not worried about the next one. Not right now, especially when I’m sitting here on the IL. It is what it is. Hopefully, I’m performing well enough that (the 2032 option) gets picked up.”
Crochet certainly has the right attitude when discussing his contract.
Red Sox need Garrett Crochet to perform as expected for contract clause to matter
Getting Crochet for just $15 million in 2032, his age-33 season, sounds great, but a lot will have to go right for that to be the case. Before the injury, the southpaw was struggling mightily, as his 6.30 ERA in six starts would indicate. He was obviously fantastic in 2025, but that campaign was his only year having surpassed 150 innings. The talent has always been there, but so have the injury worries.
Year | Garrett Crochet MLB Innings |
|---|---|
2021 | 54.1 |
2022 | 0 (Tommy John surgery) |
2023 | 12.2 |
2024 | 146 |
2025 | 205.1 |
2026 | 30 |
If Crochet can't stay healthy or rediscover his form, why would the Red Sox pick up that option anyway? That flexibility only matters if Crochet can look like his star self more often than not. They certainly hope he will, and he has the talent to do so, but that's not exactly a given.
Crochet is attempting to return for the stretch run as a reliever. Adding him to a bullpen already consisting of the likes of Aroldis Chapman, Erik Miller, Tyron Guerrero and Garrett Whitlock (when healthy) gives that unit as much upside as any in the sport. Seeing Crochet dominate in relief and then return to the rotation and stay healthy in 2027 and beyond would be the dream outcome for Boston, but dreams often don't become reality.
Gaining more contractual control over a player is never a bad thing for a team, but it's on the player now to make that actually matter. Crochet is one of the most fascinating players worth keeping an eye on down the stretch, and this contract clause only makes him more interesting.
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