Major League Baseball front office executives anticipate that the Chicago White Sox will trade left-handed starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, as reported by Jim Bowden of Moneyline. According to Bowden, many executives believe a trade involving Crochet will occur before the conclusion of the current year, with the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Los Angeles Dodgers identified as the most probable landing spots. Each of these teams possesses young, everyday position players, which are reported to be the type of assets the White Sox are seeking in exchange for the 25-year-old pitcher, who has two additional years of team control remaining.
Garrett Crochet's performance in his first year as a major league starter was noteworthy. He finished the season with a record of 6-12, a 3.59 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 2.69 FIP across 32 starts, totaling 146.0 innings on the mound. Crochet accumulated 209 strikeouts, boasting an impressive strikeout rate of 12.9 K/9. His name surfaced in trade discussions over the past year, with Ken Rosenthal of Moneyline indicating that Crochet's trade market was still 'active' leading up to the deadline, despite some teams hesitating due to reported conditions regarding his playoff availability without a contract extension.
Crochet has made it clear that he intends to maintain his normal starter's workload until the end of the regular season and would require an extension to consider pitching in the playoffs if traded. He has rejected the idea of transitioning to a bullpen role and prefers not to take any breaks, believing that a consistent starting routine is best for his health. The White Sox exercised caution in managing his innings, particularly after he missed all of 2022 following Tommy John surgery and faced left shoulder inflammation that placed him on the injured list in 2023. Despite these setbacks, Crochet demonstrated substantial potential in 2024, making him a candidate for an extension. However, the White Sox are also under pressure to revamp their roster following a disappointing season that saw them record an MLB-record 121 losses. As Bowden notes, Chicago's desire for 'young, everyday position players' is a strategic approach, especially given their team batting average of .221 and a .618 OPS last year. If Crochet is made available, he would likely attract interest from any team looking to bolster its rotation with a young, talented left-handed pitcher.
For teams such as the Dodgers, who recently secured a World Series championship, adding a player like Crochet would enhance their already formidable roster. Conversely, the Red Sox faced challenges last season with a pitching staff that finished ninth in ERA within the American League, suggesting that Crochet could potentially emerge as a staff ace. The Orioles also experienced similar struggles, ranking eighth in ERA, while they pursue free agent Corbin Burnes to strengthen their rotation.
