It is no secret that Garrett Crochet is one of the most coveted players at this year’s trade deadline. From a statistical perspective, he is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, and the White Sox as a team are historically bad. As the deadline nears, the rumors are starting to increase in intensity. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported new details on Crochet’s situation this morning that could change the equation significantly.
According to Heyman, Crochet “won’t move to the bullpen and will not take any break” for the rest of this season. In addition, Heyman stated that Crochet “would need an extension” to pitch in October if he is traded and that the starter routine is “best for his health.” It is possible this report is simply a leak by rival GM’s to lower the asking price for Crochet. In any case, these aspects are new developments in this saga and could significantly influence whether the White Sox will trade him before the deadline.
From Crochet’s perspective, his reported demands make sense. After all, he has been one of baseball’s best pitchers this year. His current routine is working, so it is understandable that he wants to keep everything the same. He has a history of performing well as a reliever at the MLB level but has been even better as a starter this year. Given his situation, his thought process of not wanting to return to the bullpen is logical.
There are other factors involved that explain Crochet’s preferences. For one, his innings and workload have been a topic of conversation for a long time now. He has already blown past his career high in innings this season by a substantial margin. In addition, he has an injury history. He already had Tommy John surgery a few years ago and has a history of shoulder issues as well. Wanting a contract extension to pitch down the stretch is logical from his perspective. He is simply trying to protect himself and his future earnings potential. Another significant injury could significantly alter his future contract, so it makes sense that Crochet would want to lock in a big payday now.
From the White Sox perspective, these new developments could alter their plans. A new contract extension for Crochet certainly would not be cheap, and he does not have the largest sample size of past success either. Whoever acquires Crochet would have to give a steep haul of prospects and potentially a new contract to obtain his services. That extraordinary cost could scare teams away and cost the White Sox leverage in these trade negotiations. On the other hand, there is a very valid argument that Crochet will be the best starting pitcher available on the market if Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal stays in Detroit. A contending team feeling the pressure might cave and pay up despite the White Sox high asking price and Crochet’s demands.
It feels like a matter of time until Garrett Crochet departs Chicago. The White Sox have never paid a pitcher what it will take to keep Crochet in Chicago long-term, and it seems unlikely that the franchise will break that trend now. These new demands on Crochet’s part might complicate the situation somewhat, but it would still be surprising to see him remain with the White Sox for much longer. If he is not traded by the deadline, it seems like a foregone conclusion that he is gone this offseason.
