KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The White Sox are on pace to draw fewer than 1.5 million fans this season, and who can blame the no-shows?
There won’t be much to see at Guaranteed Rate Field, especially if 2024 All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet and 2023 All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. get traded, unless your jam is watching hopeful call-ups such as infielder Brooks Baldwin or seeing if rookie right-handers Drew Thorpe and Jonathan Cannon can develop into bona fide major league starters.
Or if history in the worst way to achieve it catches your fancy. The Sox went into their game against the Royals Friday with a 27-71 record, the worst ever by a team before the All-Star break. It’s on pace to threaten the 40-120 expansion New York Mets’ record for most defeats in a season.
Of particular interest is what general manager Chris Getz does before the July 30 trade deadline, one that could see Crochet and Robert dealt for Getz’ lofty asking prices.
The Sun-Times spoke with former executives and evaluators about the Sox’ rebuilding position and possible strategies, and the consensus among them is to deal Crochet now rather than wait till the offseason, even though Crochet will have two years left of affordable contract control. A half season less will lessen Crochet’s value, so it might behoove the Sox to trade him now.
“They should trade everyone they can,” one former executive said.
And the Sox, as poor as they are on the field, have pieces to deal such as right-handers Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech, Chris Flexen and John Brebbia, outfielder Tommy Pham and infielders Paul DeJong, Nicky Lopez and Andrew Vaughn.
The advantage to making trades now is having a clear offseason strategy for payroll and talent. Not knowing what they would get in return on winter trades adds complications to waiting till the offseason, especially since the hot stove offseason often extends into February and March.
That said, Sox executives have shown no signs of planning to win or spend much in free agency next season. Reduced payroll should be the expectation, with an eye on contention no sooner than 2026.
Getz is essentially doing the same thing with Crochet as he did with Dylan Cease during the offseason and into spring training, offering a prime target that could cost the Sox nine figures in the player’s next contracts. Holding out for an overpay, the Sox finally on March 14 sent Cease to the Padres for Thorpe, a prized pitching prospect who had already been traded for Juan Soto, two other good prospects and major league pitcher Steven Wilson. It looks like a satisfactory deal but time will tell.
The same type of posturing and scenario is unfolding with Crochet, 25, whose innings are being monitored. The major leagues’ leader with 150 strikes and owner of a 3.02 ERA, Crochet will be limited in the second half as he soars past his previous high workload, but the Sox want even more than what Cease brought.
In any case, one talent evaluator said the Sox clear the deck, take advantage of the time afforded in the last two and half months to evaluate young talent as they’re doing with Baldwin and will do with others and get their depth charts in place for 2025 and beyond. This makes future planning, including major league and minor league free agent targets, much easier.
The deadline is less than two weeks away.
Stay tuned.
NOTES: Right-hander Michael Soroka landed on the 15-day IL (retroactive to July 16) with a right shoulder strain. Steven Wilson was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
• Garrett Crochet’s first start out of the All-Star break will be Tuesday at the Texas Rangers, giving him 10 days rest from his last Sox start of two scoreless innings, 28 pitches against the Pirates July 12. Crochet pitched a scoreless inning in the All-Star Game Tuesday. Erick Fedde’s next start is Monday at Texas, giving him 11 days rest.
• Brooks Baldwin started at second base Friday, making his major league debut.
• Infielder Danny Mendick, who was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and reported to Triple-A Charlotte.
• Right-hander Jimmy Lambert, who has not pitched this season due to a sore shoulder, began a rehab assignment with the Arizona Complex League White Sox.
