The Chicago White Sox were big sellers, as expected, at the MLB trade deadline. They did not move one of their star players, pitcher Garrett Crochet. A lofty demand from Crochet kept teams from acquiring him. He told teams that he would not pitch in the bullpen for any team and would not suit up for the playoffs without a contract extension. Now, he has responded to the criticism he received for those comments,
“Whether a deal went through or not I don’t think was dependent on that (his desires) being said or not.” Crochet told Jesse Rogers from ESPN. “I think that any team would see the amount of innings I threw last year and find it reasonable, so ultimately I think it was the right call.”
Crochet maintains that his demands were not the reason he was not traded at the deadline. He only threw 12.2 innings in 2023 after missing all of 2022 with injuries. Crochet was trying to protect his health and future contract opportunities by not putting himself in a situation he was not physically ready for. While that is a respectable choice, it most certainly played a role in his trade deadline exclusion.
Two World Series competitors, the Dodgers and Orioles, were connected to Crochet but ended up with different starting pitchers. The teams both have bright futures, especially in their rotation and could have added Crochet to that mix but decided against it. They can still acquire him in the offseason, but the demands might still be there.
Garrett Crochet's future
The White Sox have made their intentions very clear. They are looking to tear down their roster and rebuild for the future. They did a solid job of that at the deadline but still have their two biggest moves to go. Crochet and centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. are both still on the White Sox and will provide tremendous value when they are traded.
The teams looking to add a starter would be similar to the list from the trade deadline. The Orioles could be interested, the Yankees were connected to Jack Flaherty at the deadline and will be looking for low-cost options, and the Dodgers are always looking to add. The White Sox have not lost their leverage, but they potentially lost a little bit of value by waiting until the offseason.
Crochet's desire for a contract comes as he approaches arbitration this offseason. With his injury history, he wanted to ensure a contract before the offseason if he pitched in the playoffs. Now that he will not be playing into October, his contract negotiations are pushed off. Whoever trades for him will likely give up less in the offseason than they would have at the deadline.
The White Sox should trade Crochet before they go to arbitration with him. If the last few weeks have been any indication, he will want a long-term deal for a lot of money. As the White Sox continue to tear down their core, expect Crochet to head to a contender this offseason.
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