The Chicago White Sox just had the worst season in modern baseball history. They traded plenty of pieces at the trade deadline but not lefty starter Garrett Crochet. He had a list of demands, which included an extension to pitch in the playoffs, that scared teams off. He stayed healthy and pitched well down the stretch and should be moved for assets this winter. ESPN's Buster Olney reported a list of teams that could be in the race for Crochet's services.
“For the White Sox, a massive return built around a prime position player prospect is probably the best possible scenario, and you'd assume the usual suspects would be involved in conversations — the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Dodgers were interested in July and will be again this winter, with the Yankees and other contenders looking to add a left-hander who will be under team control for two more seasons.”
Olney continued by circling back to the demands from July. “And given Crochet's stated desire for an extension, the acquiring team will probably sign him to a multiyear deal before the start of next season. The Mets are a team to watch.”
Every team will want a mid-20s left-handed starter to add to their rotation. A team must trade for him while having the money to sign him to make the move.
Best landing spots for Garrett Crochet
The Mets and Dodgers will be in on every high-priced player for the foreseeable future. Both teams have high payrolls, are in big markets, and have solid teams. Their matchup in the NLCS is unlikely to be the last and the pitching edge between the two teams is vital. Both teams should be making aggressive pitches to get Crochet.
The White Sox will trade Crochet this winter. They have a great asset and can turn that into multiple prospects with this move. It will be an arms race of big-market teams vying for his services. The best spot for Crochet to land would be the Astros, who were not mentioned by Olney.
Houston has Alex Bregman entering unrestricted free agency and a pitching staff in flux. If they want to move on from their franchise third basemen, they can use the extra money to extend Crochet. They should be looking toward the future and trying to rebuild their rotation. Yusei Kikuchi was a nice stopgap this season but Crochet can be a permanent answer.
The Yankees would be a fascinating landing spot for Garrett Crochet, especially considering the Gerrit Cole drama. New York's ace opted out of his contract and they can keep him by tacking an extra year on the back end. If they do not by Monday evening, he will be a free agent. Could the Bombers replace Gerrit with Garrett?
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