Quinn Harris/Getty ImagesThe Chicago White Sox recently tried to engage Garrett Crochet in contract talks, but the feeling is the star pitcher will be dealt prior to the July 30 trade deadline.
Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the White Sox have "no optimism" about reaching a deal with Crochet and intend to trade him within the next month.
Nightengale noted there have been 15 teams that contacted Chicago's front office to express interest in the southpaw, with the Los Angeles Dodgers already making an offer that was "quickly rejected."
The White Sox are believed to be seeking prospects "with enormous upside" in any deal. Crochet's stock has skyrocketed this season, as he is firmly in the AL Cy Young conversation.
Another factor impacting Chicago's asking price is Crochet won't hit free agency until after the 2026 season. He is only making $800,000 this season in his first year of arbitration.
There is an elevated injury risk with Crochet, beyond just the normal concern that comes with being a pitcher in this current era of MLB. He missed all of 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and only appeared in 13 games out of the bullpen in 2023.
The 94.1 innings Crochet has thrown this season is 24.1 more than he had in the previous four years combined (73.0). This is also his first year as a starting pitcher after pitching exclusively out of the bullpen from 2020 to '23.
Crochet has done a fantastic job of alleviating some of the injury concerns so far this season. The 25-year-old is currently leading the AL in strikeouts (130) and MLB in strikeouts per nine innings (12.4).
If Crochet continues at that pace for the rest of 2024, he could be the most impactful player acquired by a contending team during the season.
The White Sox are smart to prioritize trading Crochet now to potentially avoid a situation where he could get injured later and lose some of his value. They own the worst record in MLB this season at 24-61. Their 46-win pace would be the second-fewest in a 162-game season in MLB history, ahead of the 2003 Detroit Tigers (43-119).
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