ORLANDO — It was almost exactly a year ago Wednesday, the final day of the 2024 Winter Meetings, that the Red Sox acquired Garrett Crochet in exchange for four prospects from the Chicago White Sox.

In almost every measurable way, it turned out to be the perfect trade for the Red Sox. Crochet soon signed a six-year extension to give the team additional control of him, making the player cost more tenable . Then, Crochet went out and pitched like the ace the Red Sox projected he could be, leading the league in strikeouts and innings pitched while finishing second in wins and third in ERA.

It was, from the benefit of 12 months later, the perfect offseason move. The Red Sox got precisely what they needed to head their rotation and locked him up for the foreseeable future.

But this winter h

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