DALLAS — The Boston Red Sox know they’ll have left-hander Garrett Crochet anchoring their rotation for at least the next two years. Now, it’s likely the club will begin to prioritize extending that term.

Boston acquired Crochet for a four-player package of Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth and Wikelman Gonzalez on Wednesday, adding a 25-year-old All-Star to the top of its rotation. Instead of signing someone like Max Fried, Corbin Burnes or Blake Snell to the mix on a high-dollar, long-term contract, the Sox opted to go the trade route for Crochet, who has just 219 major league innings under his belt. Crochet is estimated to earn just $2.9 million in 2025 as an arbitration-eligible player. But an investment like the one the Red Sox made Wednesday by giving up four solid prospects – including their last two first-round picks – suggests Boston is very interested in a long-term marriage with Crochet.

The Red Sox and Crochet didn’t discuss an extension as a pre-condition of the trade with Chicago, according to a source, and the offseason backdrop led to different circumstances than in July, when Crochet – in search of long-term security – reportedly had his representatives at CAA tell teams he wanted a contract extension in order to pitch in the postseason and that he had zero interest in returning to the bullpen, where he spent the first three seasons of his major league career. That doesn’t mean the sides won’t explore one before Opening Day; Crochet’s midsummer requests suggest he wants to get a deal done, and the Red Sox would be interested in long-term certainty when it comes to a talented, young left-handed ace.

On Wednesday, however, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow was coy when asked about a potential extension for Crochet.

“I think those are conversations we can have in time,” Breslow said after the trade was announced. “I think for right now, we just want to get to know Garrett and do everything we can to make sure his transition to Boston is as easy and seamless as possible. Just trying to get him comfortable.”

The Red Sox are hoping to have Crochet come to Boston in the coming days to take a tour of Fenway Park and meet with Breslow, pitching coach Andrew Bailey and other organizational figures. In the four-plus months before Opening Day, it’s likely the sides will talk about a long-term deal. Crochet, who debuted in the majors just two months after being drafted in 2020, doesn’t turn 26 until June and could sign, say, a five- or six-year deal that would only go through his age-30 or age-31 seasons. The Red Sox would likely have to pay upwards of $25-30 million per year to get it done, though the first two years (arbitration seasons) would come cheaper.

That conversation will wait. On Wednesday, Breslow touched base with Crochet, who was enthusiastic about moving on from a White Sox team that lost 121 games in 2024.

“It didn’t seem like the type of situation that snuck up on him,” Breslow said. “People have been talking about a potential trade for months now. But he sounded genuinely excited about Boston being the destination and the chance to come pitch in the AL East. I think he recognizes the position player talent we have around him. And the chance to pitch in a rotation that is young and emerging but also has some experience. He seems really, really excited.”

An expensive free-agent addition like Burnes or Jack Flaherty can’t be ruled out, but for now, the Red Sox used prospects – and not cash – to fill their most pressing need of the winter. Breslow was effusive in his praise of Crochet after the deal.

“I feel like we’ve got a legitimate No. 1 starter in Garrett,” Breslow said. “Left-handed, ton of swing and miss, massive strikeouts. We feel like the best is still in front of him. We’re excited about what he brings and obviously, we needed to trade really good players to be able to do this. But that’s the cost right now. We’re very much focused on what we’re able to get and the excitement we have around adding him to the rotation. It adds depth, it adds quality. It’s a bonafide ace and someone we feel is going to continue to improve.”

“We see huge velocity, ability to generate swing-and-miss, big breaking ball, unique angles, unique release. On top of that, he’s new to starting. I think the relationship he’ll build with Andrew (Bailey) and the rest of the pitching coaches is important, but just as important is the relationship with the medical staff and the strength staff and our analytics group to continue to understand how he can get the best out of his stuff.