With the July 30 trade deadline quickly approaching, all eyes are on the Chicago White Sox and whether they will move their ace Garrett Crochet or keep him for a potential offseason deal.
The left-hander has received significant interest from teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are believed to want to add an impact arm in the coming days.
Crochet certainly fits the bill as he is in the midst of a career year. However, there are some complications for a deal as the 25-year-old has already reached a career high in innings pitched and may need to shift to the bullpen.
But according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, Crochet is planning to remain in the starting rotation for the rest of the 2024 season and wants a contract extension if the expectation is to pitch in the playoffs:
Crochet, 25, wants a contract extension if he’s traded in order to pitch in the postseason this year, according to sources familiar with the situation. Crochet also is making it known he has no desire to pitch out of the bullpen, citing health concerns for all of the above requests.
The thought behind Crochet moving to the bullpen was to manage his workload after missing the entire 2022 season due to Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound last year, but appeared in just 13 games as a relief pitcher.
Crochet’s plan to remain in the rotation should only enhance his trade value, which was already said to be astronomical.
Crochet is under team control via salary arbitration through the 2026 season. The White Sox reportedly have not made progress on a potential contract extension, fueling speculation they will move forward with a trade at the deadline.
However, a recent report suggested that the White Sox might hold off on a trade until the offseason. L.A. reportedly made an early effort to acquire Crochet, but were quickly turned down.
Dodgers blockbuster trade with Garrett Crochet?
In addition to Crochet, the Dodgers are believed to have interest in Luis Robert Jr. and Michael Kopech, potentially opening the door for a blockbuster with the White Sox.
If a deal doesn’t come to fruition, the Dodgers still figure to make a splash at the deadline. They have been linked to Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, and Oakland Athletics closer Mason Miller, among other notable players.
Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena was part of that group as well but he’s been traded to the Seattle Mariners.
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