Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet was at the center of MLB trade rumors this summer, with multiple World Series contenders pursuing him as the top arm available. While Chicago kept him past the MLB trade deadline, the All-Star is back on the trade market and generating significant interest.
The White Sox are in the early stages of a rebuild with their farm system in desperate need of more top-end talent and depth. While the front office addressed some of the issues ahead of the trade deadline, flipping Michael Kopech, Tommy Pham Paul DeJong and Eloy Jimenez, their biggest trade chips were kept around.
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- Garrett Crochet stats (ESPN): 3.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 209-33 K-BB ratio, 6.3 K/BB in 146 innings
Months later, Chicago has floated the names of Crochet and All-Star outfielder Luis Robert back in MLB rumors. While Robert is generating plenty of interest, Crochet is the primary target with three teams reportedly emerging as the favorites to land him.
According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, Crochet is widely expected to be traded this offseason by MLB executives. While more than a half dozen teams have inquired about Chicago’s ace, those inside baseball believe the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles are the three leaders for him.
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- Garrett Crochet contract (Spotrac): $2.9 million salary (projected(, arbitration-eligible in 2026
A deal failed to materialize this summer in part due to Crochet’s workload and his contract demands. He blew past his previous career-high for innings pitched (54.1) early in the season and needed to be shut down by October since he was just two years removed from Tommy John surgery.
Playoff teams eyeing him intended to move him into the bullpen late in the year, reducing his workload and having him available as a reliever in October. However, Crochet’s agent made it known that he wouldn’t pitch in the playoffs without a contract extension.
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That hurdle is now out of the way, opening the door for the White Sox to flip him for a maximum return. When Chicago was originally shopping him around the league, the Dodgers were viewed as the heavy favorites to land him and the two sides got deep into trade negotiations before talks broke off.
Of the three clubs, Los Angeles and Baltimore have the stronger farm system with both teams able to provide the White Sox with a package centered around position prospects. While the Red Sox farm system is widely viewed as being the worst of the three, the level of aggressiveness from Boston while Los Angeles and Baltimore pursue Corbin Burnes and Roki Sasaski could leave the door open to a deal.
