White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet would be a much needed left-hander in the Red Sox rotation, but the asking price, according to some pundits, is much too high. Erin Hooley/Associated Press

Seven Red Sox-centric questions to get you through the last week of November and Thanksgiving:

1. Is White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet worth that much?

This week, former MLB general manager and current analyst Jim Bowden suggested that Wilyer Abreu, Triston Casas, and Connor Wong would “probably” be enough to land White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet.

Why stop there? Send all of the “Big Four” prospects, too! Maybe throw in a Fabergé egg or the Hope Diamond.

One-third of the starting lineup in exchange for two years of club control on a pitcher who has been a starter for one season? Holy recency bias, Batman.

Crochet pitched a career-high 146 innings in 32 starts in 2024. Before this season, he’d thrown exactly 73 innings since his 2020 debut, all in relief. His previous single-season mark was 54 1/3 innings in 2021.

Plus, Crochet made it known he wanted a long-term extension before he would agree to pitch in the postseason before the trade deadline. That came off as demending, an unappealing quality for a largely-unproven player who had no right to veto a trade. Between that and the White Sox’s desired trade return, prospective teams backed off.

Abreu just won a Gold Glove in his rookie season and received AL Rookie of the Year votes. Casas missed most of the season with a rib injury, but finished third in rookie of the year voting in 2023. Wong and Casas don’t hit free agency until 2029, and Abreu the year after.

The Red Sox could certainly use a left-handed starter, but they can’t get desperate. They’ve spent too much time rebuilding to throw caution – and one-third of their lineup – to the wind now.

Rafael Devers has worked hard on his defense at third base but his struggles could force the Red Sox to move him off the position. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

2. Should the Red Sox move Rafael Devers off third base for Nolan Arenado?

If the Red Sox are going to move their homegrown superstar from his natural position two years into a franchise-record contract, they need a really good reason.

Nolan Arenado certainly qualifies. In 12 big-league seasons, he’s won 10 Gold Gloves, six Platinum Gloves (best defender in the league), and five Silver Slugger awards.

If the eight-time All-Star is willing to waive his full no-trade clause, the Cardinals are open to trading him. He has three years and $52 million remaining on his nine-year, $275 million contract.

However, Arenado turns 34 in April and his power is in rapid decline. In 152 games this season, he hit 16 home runs, his lowest total since he was a rookie in 2013. His slugging percentage has dropped significantly over the last three seasons – .533 to .459 to .394 – and his hard-hit rate plummeted from 38.1 percent in ‘23, to 31.7 percent in ‘24.

Devers wouldn’t be happy about relocation, either, and angering a cornerstone player isn’t exactly a recipe for success. He has worked diligently on his defense, and took pride in his improvement this season. More than once throughout the season, Red Sox Manager Alex Cora spoke about the numbers not painting an accurate picture of Devers’ performance.

But the Red Sox are considering all of this. Add it to the list of reasons to believe they’re serious about winning again.

3. Will the Red Sox trade Casas?

The Red Sox want to upgrade their starting rotation and balance their lineup, and trading the left-handed hitting Casas could check off both boxes. The Seattle Mariners and Miami Marlins, for example, could use a first baseman and they have pitching to offer in return.

Who takes over if Casas is dealt? Blaze Jordan is the only first-base prospect in the organization’s top 30, and the Sox just left him unprotected in next month’s Rule 5 Draft. They could sign righty hitting first baseman Pete Alonso, or put versatile top prospect Kristian Campbell (also a righty) at third and could move Devers to first. However, as outlined above, that route could backfire.

4. How much will the Red Sox offer Juan Soto?

With initial meetings over, teams are expected to begin submitting offers to Soto this week.

The Red Sox are significantly more involved than most expected, but will they really put a $600 million proposal on the table? Forget the shallow end of the big-spenders pool, they’ve barely dipped their toes in the water these last five years. A legitimate offer to Soto would be the cannonball off the high-dive to end all cannonballs.

Dustin Pedroia was well on his way to a Hall of Fame worthy career when a slide by Manny Machado cause knee problems that prematurely ended his career. Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

5. Is Dustin Pedroia a Hall of Famer?

Pedroia’s Hall of Fame candidacy is, unfortunately, more of a debate than it should be. If he’d stayed healthy – and Manny Machado wasn’t such a fan of a dirty slide – Pedroia likely would be finishing out a much longer, slam-dunk Hall of Fame career on his own terms.

For over a decade, Pedroia played Cooperstown-caliber baseball. As The Athletic’s Jayson Stark pointed out, from 2007 through 2016, only Robinson Cano, Adrian Beltre, Albert Pujols, and Miguel Cabrera had a higher WAR. With the exception of Cano, whose career is tainted with performance-enhancing drug suspensions, that’s a Hall of Fame crew. Beltre was inducted this summer on his first ballot, and Pujols and Cabrera are likely to receive their own bronze plaques as soon as they’re eligible.