White Sox Expected to Trade Garrett Crochet This Off-Season, Seeking Position Players in Return
It’s a matter of when, not if, the Chicago White Sox will trade left-hander Garrett Crochet this winter, and they’ve already set their price for the 2024 All-Star hurler.
General manager Chris Getz revealed those details earlier this week during a radio appearance with 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine, saying the front office is prioritizing position players in trade talks surrounding Crochet. He also said the club has already received plenty of interest in the lefty starter this winter.
“We are focusing on position player return,” Getz said. “That is our primary focus in any trade talks. The right players have to be there. We can’t force anything. We certainly need to improve our offence. That is very clear. That is what we need to do in any trade or free-agent acquisition.”
There’s also a strong indication that Crochet could find a new home before the end of 2024, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently reported a blockbuster deal is expected to happen by the end of next month’s Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas – scheduled from Dec. 9-12th.
Nightengale added that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies have been the most aggressive suitors inquiring about the 25-year-old’s services in trade negotiations.
Another club reportedly in the Crochet sweepstakes is the Boston Red Sox, according to MassLive’s Sean McAdam, who also listed the San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles – as well as the Dodgers – as other teams expected to pursue Chicago’s young hurler.
Outfield prospect Roman Anthony, baseball’s No. 3 top prospect per MLB Pipeline, will likely be deemed untouchable via trade, as McAdam wrote. But management could centre a package around outfielder Wilyer Abreu, who’s coming off a breakout performance and is under club control through 2029.
Crochet will be highly coveted by teams with starting pitching needs and those unwilling to pay lucrative prices for free agents Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell. The 6-foot-6 southpaw earned a very team-friendly $800,000 in 2024 and won’t enter free agency until after ‘26.
After working out of the bullpen since debuting in ‘20, Crochet converted to the starting rotation this past season and, despite facing innings restrictions in the second half, excelled in his first season as a starter.
The hard-throwing lefty, whose average fastball velocity (97.2 mph) ranked in the 92nd percentile, pitched to a 3.58 ERA and 2.69 FIP across 32 starts, demolishing his previous career-high in innings pitched with 146. He recorded 209 strikeouts, leading all qualified big-league starters (min. 100 innings pitched) in strikeout rate (35.1%).
There are previous injury concerns with Crochet, who missed all of 2022 and most of ‘23 due to Tommy John surgery. Because of that extended absence and his minuscule innings totals prior to this past season, he wasn’t permitted to pitch more than four frames over his final 14 starts.
The White Sox reportedly fielded calls on Crochet before July’s trade deadline. But a deal never materialized, especially after reports surfaced regarding his camp’s demand for a contract extension in exchange for risking his health during a postseason push.
Instead, Chicago traded veteran players such as Tommy Pham, Eloy Jiménez and Paul DeJong before the deadline passed. They then proceeded to lose an MLB-worst 121 games, setting a new single-season record.
With few pieces left to trade and none as available as Crochet, the White Sox’s rebuild will be drastically impacted by the return they receive for one of baseball’s brightest young arms – whether that proves to be positive or negative remains to be seen.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: Zakarie Faibis. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.