With the trade deadline less than a week away, acquiring an impact arm for the rotation seems to be a priority for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet appears to be at the top of their wishlist.
The converted starter is having an excellent season with a 3.07 ERA, 2.29 FIP, 0.97 WHIP and 157 strikeouts across 111.1 innings pitched. He has struck out 35.4% of batters faced this season, which is tops in the Majors and just above the Dodgers’ own Tyler Glasnow.
With only 184.1 innings in his Major League career and what is likely to be two full seasons under his belt after 2024, it is safe to say that Crochet’s stock is at an all-time high.
Combine that with the miserable year the Chicago White Sox are having, and it seems to be inevitable that the team capitalizes on Crochet’s trade value to jumpstart a much needed rebuild.
However, there is some belief the White Sox will not trade Crochet at the deadline, according to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic:
Some in the industry expect the Chicago White Sox to hold left-hander Garrett Crochet, believing that an even greater number of buyers will emerge in the offseason and that his value is greater in his additional two years of club control than in 2024.
Crochet made limited appearances as a reliever during the tail end of the 2023 season after recovering from Tommy John surgery he underwent the previous year. Now he is thriving in his first fully healthy season since 2021.
The rational to possibly pass on moving Crochet at the trade deadline makes sense as the White Sox need to get as much value as they can out of a potential deal.
Not only is their record the worst in baseball by far, it has been historically bad as they became the third-fastest team to 75 losses in MLB history. And with the No. 20 ranked farm system in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, their future isn’t exactly the brightest.
However, it is also worth noting this is the time of year where teams in the White Sox’s position will try to increase their leverage during negotiations by leaking this type of information.
White Sox could be ideal partner for Dodgers’ trade deadline
While the Dodgers are be hoping to acquire one of the top starting pitchers available on the market, they won’t be stopping there as the team is also targeting an impact bat to fill out the outfield.
This makes White Sox the perfect dance partner for the Dodgers to address multiple needs with a single trade. Luis Robert Jr. has struggled in 2024 and has some troubles staying healthy, but remains an intriguing option nonetheless.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
