Boston Red Sox Name Garrett Crochet Opening Day Starter in Wake of Blockbuster Trade

Garrett Crochet made a name for himself with the Chicago White Sox last season, but now he has officially been tabbed as the Boston Red Sox ace to open 2025.

Clearwater, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at BayCare Ballpark. / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox paid a king's ransom for Garrett Crochet this winter, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that they are shoving their new ace directly into the spotlight.

Crochet was named the Red Sox's Opening Day starter on Saturday, three months after he was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox. He will take the mound on the road against the Texas Rangers when the regular season gets underway on March 27.

In 32 starts last season, Crochet went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA, 1.068 WHIP, 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings and a 4.1 WAR, making his first All-Star appearance in the process. The 25-year-old has pitched 6.1 scoreless innings so far in Grapefruit League play this spring, giving up six hits and five walks with 14 strikeouts.

Crochet beat out Tanner Houck and Walker Buehler for the Opening Day nod. Last year's Opening Day starter, Brayan Bello, is slated to begin 2025 on the injured list.

This will mark the second season in a row that Crochet has started on Opening Day, although he filled the role for the White Sox last year. The southpaw gave up five hits, zero walks and one earned runin 6.0 innings against the Detroit Tigers in 2024, getting stuck with the tough-luck loss as Tarik Skubal laid the groundwork for his ultimately successful AL Cy Young campaign.

Boston had to part ways with two top-60 prospects in catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Braden Montgomery – plus infielder Chase Meidroth and pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez – to reel in Crochet, who has yet to sign a long-term extension.

Crochet will be just the latest newly-acquired ace to start for the Red Sox on Opening Day. Corey Kluber, David Price, David Wells and Pedro Martinez were also named Opening Day starters in their first years with the franchise.

First pitch between the Red Sox and Rangers from Globe Life Field is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET on March 27. Nathan Eovaldi, who spent five seasons in Boston, is expected to draw the start for Texas.