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Garrett Crochet, a first-time All-Star, is one of the top pitchers mentioned in 2024 MLB trade rumors. As the league draws closer to the July 30 trade deadline, the Crochet trade rumors are only heating up. Yet, still, no deal.
However, there may be one unique factor complicating Crochet’s trade more than any other player available, and it’s not due to concerns of a large workload. Instead, it’s his contract.
According to The Athletic’s MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, Garrett Crochet has a “desire for a contract extension before he agrees to pitch in October.”
Have you ever heard of that? A player willing to pitch all year during the regular season but then threatening to hold out during the playoffs? That’s uncharted territory.
The issue is, as mentioned, his concerning workload. Already up to a career-high 111.1 innings pitched, Crochet’s never even topped the 54-inning mark, and that came in 2021 before missing all of 2022 after Tommy John surgery. He was limited to just 12.1 innings last year, but for the first time ever in his five-year MLB career, he’s operating as a starter.
There’s no telling how much gas he’ll have left in the tank as the innings continue to add up. Some suggest he’ll have to go back to the bullpen just to manage his arm for the rest of the season, but he wants to remain a starter to maintain his stamina.
In other words, there’s a lot of buyer’s beware surrounding Crochet. But at the same time, anyone trading for him likely wants to reward the MLB strikeout leader with a new contract anyway, ensuring he sticks around for a long time. For now, Crochet is arbitration-eligible for the next two seasons, but helping him avoid free agency in 2027 could be wiser for his new team in the long run.
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