Point blank, the Red Sox needed an ace. They also needed at least one left-handed starter. They were apparently close to landing Max Fried, and they never seemed locked into spending what they needed to land Corbin Burnes (which they still might). Apart from those two, Crochet was the only other legitimate ace remaining, so the Red Sox swooped.

All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet has been acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Chicago White Sox for four prospects