There are several bad teams in the MLB right now, but none are worse than the lowly Chicago White Sox. Their 15-47 record is by far the worst in the majors, and there's really nothing that indicates better times are on the way. As a result, they are widely expected to be a seller at the upcoming trade deadline as they prepare to undergo a full-scale rebuild.

While Chicago doesn't have a ton of trade candidates that teams will want, one guy who fits the bill is starting pitcher Garrett Crochet, who appears to be in the midst of a breakout campaign. There's no doubt that Crochet will draw interest, but concerns over his usage in the second half of the season, plus the White Sox insistence on valuing him as a number one starter, could make a trade difficult to come by.

“So while the White Sox plan to value Crochet as a No. 1 starter, according to sources briefed on their thinking, no acquiring team can assume he will be a viable starter in the second half. Crochet, 24, underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2022 and spent three months on the injured list with shoulder inflammation last season. At some point, he will reach an innings limit.” – Levi Weaver & Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic

White Sox Garrett Crochet trade talks could be complicated

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (45) throws against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at American Family Field.
Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Crochet initially broke into the majors back in 2020, but over his first four seasons, he pitched just a total of 73 innings. Tommy John surgery wiped out Crochet's entire 2022 campaign, and prior to this season, he hadn't made a start in the majors. With 69.2 innings already pitched this year, it's safe to say there will be some concern about Crochet's workload as the season wears on.

While injuries have been an issue for the talented lefty early on in his career, he's been phenomenal to this point (5-5, 3.49 ERA, 93 K, 0.93 WHIP) through 13 starts, which is tied for first in the majors currently. But given how sparingly he's pitched over the past few years, it's fair to wonder how Crochet's arm will hold up as he continues to pile on innings.

This is particularly noteworthy for potential trade partners, because chances are if Crochet gets dealt, he's going to land with a playoff contender. As you'd expect, that team is going to want Crochet healthy and on the mound in their pursuit for a playoff spot, or even bigger a World Series championship. If his arm gets tired down the stretch, that's an issue.

Chicago also isn't going to be in any rush to trade Crochet since he will be turning just 25 years old on June 21st, so he could technically be a part of their rebuilding efforts. But even if they do want to trade him, there are some complications that could end making a deal more difficult to complete than initially expected.