Could the Red Sox really pair Tarik Skubal with Garrett Crochet?

Boston Red Sox fans have pictured plenty of pitching upgrades this winter, but nothing close to this. Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet, the two nastiest lefties in the sport, headlining the same rotation? That’s the kind of idea that melts the baseball brain.

 It would instantly give Boston the most terrifying rotation in the game and flip the AL East conversation overnight.

And the wild part? The Red Sox actually have the pieces to do it.

On Foul Territory, even Skubal couldn’t hide the respect he has for Boston’s ace.
“Crochet had a hell of a season,” Skubal said. “They made him the face of that rotation.”
He pushed it further:
“You can’t even put a lefty in the lineup against Crochet. He has some of my favorite stuff in the big leagues.”

Now imagine those two on the same staff.

Former MLB GM Jim Bowden did exactly that in his The Athletic column. His proposed trade package for Skubal reflects the price of creating a rotation with a real October punch. His suggested offer features left-handed pitcher Connelly Early, utility player Kristian Campbell, outfielder Jhostynxon García and right-handed pitcher Christian Foutch, a group that would immediately give Detroit a blend of MLB-ready pitching and long-term position talent.

Bowden didn’t soft-pedal the impact.
“Adding Skubal and pairing him with Garrett Crochet would give Boston the top left-handed duo in baseball,” he said.

Early is the centerpiece, and it’s easy to see why. He struck out 29 in 19 1/3 innings during his first major-league stint (2.33 ERA, 1.086 WHIP) and posted a 2.60 ERA across Double A and Triple A. He’d walk straight into Detroit’s rotation. Campbell was  the 2024 Minor League Player of the Year who signed an eight-year, $60 million deal before a turbulent rookie season. García is Boston’s best outfield prospect but blocked by Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony and Jarren Duran. Foutch is a power arm with late-inning potential.

That’s a real package and a real cost.

But so is the reward. The Red Sox finally broke back into the postseason. They’re not rebuilding. They’re not drifting. They’re sitting in a rare window where one more frontline starter could tilt the entire division.

Crochet is already the anchor. Skubal might actually be in play — at least until Detroit decides otherwise.

So here’s the question Boston has to answer:

If this is the chance to build the most dominant left-handed duo in baseball, what are you waiting for?