White Sox deal Crochet to Red Sox for prospect haul

White Sox deal Crochet to Red Sox for prospect haul

8:32 PM UTC

A long-rumored move came to fruition Wednesday as the White Sox finalized a trade that sends All-Star left-hander to the Red Sox for a haul of four prospects.

The White Sox are receiving catcher Kyle Teel (Boston's No. 4 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 25 overall prospect), outfielder Braden Montgomery (Boston's No. 5 prospect and No. 54 overall prospect), infielder Chase Meidroth (Boston's No. 11 prospect) and right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez (Boston's No. 14 prospect).

TRADE DETAILS
Red Sox get: LHP Garrett Crochet
White Sox get: C Kyle Teel (No. 25 overall prospect), OF Braden Montgomery (No. 54 overall), INF Chase Meidroth (BOS No. 11 prospect), Wikelman Gonzalez (BOS No. 14 prospect)

Crochet, 25, was an All-Star for Chicago in 2024, his first year as a starting pitcher in the Majors. Though his record was just 6-12 for the 121-loss White Sox, he posted a 3.58 ERA with 209 strikeouts and just 33 walks in 146 innings. He debuted in 2020 and posted a 2.82 ERA as a full-time reliever in 54 appearances in 2021, but he missed all of 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, returning for 13 solid appearances in 2023.

The trade marks the Red Sox's first major move of the offseason after the club missed out in its pursuits of free agents Juan Soto (Mets) and Max Fried (Yankees). Crochet immediately slots in at the top of a Boston rotation that also includes Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito, who should return from Tommy John surgery rehab in 2025.

Of the prospects heading back to Chicago in the swap, MLB Pipeline projects Teel, Meidroth and Gonzalez as becoming MLB ready in 2025, pegging Montgomery with a 2027 ETA. Teel (No. 14 overall, 2023) and Montgomery (No. 12 overall, 2024) represent Boston's last two first-round Draft picks.

The 22-year-old Teel boasts a strong arm and athleticism behind the plate, and he hit .288 with an .819 OPS across Double-A and Triple-A in 2024. Montgomery, 21, has yet to make his professional debut after being drafted out of Texas A&M last July.