Holy Overpay: Boston Red Sox send four top prospects to Chicago White Sox for Garrett Crochet

The Phillies pushed hard for Garrett Crochet at the trade deadline, but when the offseason hit, talks cooled off, and the Boston Red Sox swooped in to land the lefty.

Hot Stove: Phillies reportedly ‘aggressive’ on pursuing Chicago White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet

Now, as more details about the trade packages emerge, Phillies fans should feel a sense of relief that this deal didn’t happen in Philly.

The Red Sox sending four of their top 15 prospects to the White Sox to land Crochet is a wild overpay for a guy who’s barely pitched in the big leagues, let alone in high-stakes games.

Boston Red Sox trade four top prospects to White Sox for Garrett Crochet

The White Sox are receiving four of the Red Sox top 14 prospects based on @MLBPipeline's rankings for Garrett Crochet. pic.twitter.com/pwMttCLu5C

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 11, 2024

Don’t get me wrong, Crochet is a talented arm with plenty of upside, but giving up that much talent for a player whose potential outweighs his production? Hard pass.

Reports from The Athletic revealed the Phillies were willing to include Aidan Miller and Justin Crawford—two of their top prospects—in a deal back in July, but they rightly drew the line when the White Sox insisted on Andrew Painter.

Details on Phillies offer to White Sox for Garrett Crochet:

Last July, the Phillies thought they had the workings for a Garrett Crochet deal when they upped their prospect package at the trade deadline. But they never budged on Andrew Painter, and Crochet slipped away to Boston. Story: https://t.co/ZYWbCtCjgr

— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) December 11, 2024

Giving up even two of your top guys for Crochet would’ve been a tough pill to swallow. If you’re willing to part ways with four, then it becomes reckless. Trust me, I know I have written a million times on this website that “no prospect is untouchable” and I still believe that is the case, however when you’re talking about four prospects for a player like Garrett Crochet, that’s when things go south.

The Red Sox package included Kyle Teel, one of the top catching prospects in baseball, and Braedan Montgomery, their No. 2 outfield prospect. The Phillies simply didn’t have the organizational depth to match that haul without gutting their future. Honestly, they shouldn’t have even considered it.

Crochet’s numbers are promising, but he’s not a proven ace or a game-changing star. Trading away four of your top 15 for someone like him would’ve been a panic move, not a smart one.

This is where Phillies fans need to take a step back and appreciate the bigger picture. Sure, it’s frustrating to miss out on an intriguing arm like Crochet, but you can’t mortgage your future for a player who doesn’t guarantee a significant payoff.

The Phillies have made it clear that Painter, Miller, and Crawford are their untouchables, and that’s the right call if you’re considering these guys the foundation of the future. Trading two of them—or worse, a haul like Boston’s—would’ve been a massive mistake.

So, while the Red Sox get their headlines, Phillies fans should be grateful this deal didn’t happen. Overpaying for potential is how you cripple a farm system, and the Phillies are smartly avoiding that trap. There’s still time for Dave Dombrowski to make a splash this offseason, and when he does, it’ll be for a player worth the price—not for someone like Garrett Crochet.

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