'Bomb remarks' Fastball left-hander Crochet goes to Boston, and a one-on-four trade with CHW..."We've been sluggish for 3 years" Director Cora
Dec 12, 2024
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Boston made a trade on the 12th (Korea time), the last day of the Major League Winter Meeting, in exchange for Crochet, giving away four prospects to the White Sox: catcher Kyle Till, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Midros and right-hander Wickelman Gonzalez," the official announcement said.
Boston, which failed to reach the postseason for the third consecutive year, recently signed Aroldis Chapman ($10.75 million a year) in the FA market to strengthen its rotation by bringing in Crochet.
On the other hand, the White Sox, who lost 121 games this season, the most in the history of Major League Baseball, will be able to push for rebuilding in earnest. All four prospects received from Boston are evaluated as key players in the future. According to the rankings of MLB Pipeline prospects this year, they are ranked 25th in Till and 54th in Montgomery, Madros is 11th in the team, and Gonzalez is 14th in the team. Till and Montgomery, in particular, are from the first round of the draft.
Boston gave up a large number of prospects that could be used after the next two to three years, but it is a successful trade by recruiting Crochet while keeping strong young key players who make up the existing major league roster.
MLB.com assessed that `Boston was able to secure the ace that Craig Brisloe, the chief baseball officer of the club, made a priority this offseason while maintaining a stable team of strong fielders.'
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Crochet has to throw two more seasons to become an FA by completing six big league seasons. In other words, Boston can use it as an ace until 2026.
Crochet, who was born in June 1999, is one of the best fireballers in existence. Crochet, who joined the White Sox as the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2020 draft, made his major league debut that year, which was a shortened season, and pitched five games. The following year, he played 54 games in the bullpen and grew into a key bullpen agent with a 2.82 ERA in 54 ⅓ innings.
However, he had to undergo rehabilitation for more than a year in April 2022 due to Tommy John Surgery in his left elbow, returned in May last year to adapt again, and was able to return at the end of the season after more than three months of rehabilitation with a left shoulder injury in a month.
It is this season that Crochet has been in the spotlight from major clubs. After playing a full-time rotation for the first time, he was selected as an All-Star, and he could compete for the Cy Young Award if he did not manage the number of pitches in the second half. He started 32 games and pitched 146 innings with a 6-12 record, 3.58 ERA, 209 strikeouts, 33 walks, WHIP 1.07, and a 0.222 hit rate.
What stands out is the ability to strike out as well. Analysts say it is an ace in that he showed stable control while striking out 12.3 times per nine innings. According to Baseball Servant, Crochet's main weapon, fastball restraint, shot a maximum of 100.4 miles and an average of 97.2 miles this year, and the pitch value of the fastball is within the top 2%.
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With this, Boston is expected to bring in Tanner Hauke, Lucas Giolito, Bryan Beyo, Cutter Crawford and Garrett Wealock to even Crochet for a strong rotation. Boston manager Alex Cora said at the end of this season, `I firmly believe this is the last season we have been in a slump.' It implies that a large-scale power reinforcement will take place in the offseason.
Crochet was in the midst of trade rumors last summer, saying, `If you don't give me an extension, I won't throw in the postseason"It was controversial when he made a bombshell remark.
jhno@sportschosun.com
