FORT MYERS, Fla. — As Garrett Crochet faced the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon, the scoreboard flashed 101 miles per hour for one of his pitches in the first inning. That caused a little buzz in the crowd of 7,736 at JetBlue Park. But it turned out the radar gun was running hot.

The Boston Red Sox's spring training matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays wasn't on television on Wednesday. But those who were in attendance at JetBlue Park witnessed a masterpiece. Offseason trade acquisition Garrett Crochet took to the mound for the third time thus far in spring training,

Garrett Crochet gave some context behind his contract extension request prior to the Red Sox trade in December.

If the Boston Red Sox want to keep Garrett Crochet with the organization beyond the 2026 Major League Baseball season, they surely are going to need to open up the checkbook. Boston acquired Crochet from the Chicago White Sox during the offseason in a trade that sent Kyle Teel,

Before Garrett Crochet was traded from the White Sox, he was quite particular in what he wanted from his next organization: a long-term contract extension. It was a lofty request from a pitcher who has only spent one of his four MLB seasons as a starter — and it complicated talks at the trade deadline as he also had an innings limit for the 2024 season.

Garrett Crochet plays for the Boston Red Sox, and that only happened because of what the lefty did at the 2024 trade deadline. As was typically the case for the