Following the conclusion of the GM Meetings yesterday, plenty of rumors have come out surrounding the White Sox and their biggest trade chip with the offseason underway. Several reports from different sources have named four different teams who are expected to become involved in trade talks for Garrett Crochet.
On the Baseball Tonight podcast, ESPN’s Buster Olney named both the Red Sox and the Mets as two teams we should watch when it comes to a potential deal, believing it’s a “slam dunk” that the White Sox will trade him this offseason.
This report was later followed up by one from Tyler Milliken and Sean McAdam of MassLive.com, stating that the Red Sox are “right in the thick of things” when it comes to a trade offer for Crochet.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the White Sox are expecting to trade their southpaw by the end of the Winter Meetings. The Phillies and Dodgers are rumored to be the most aggressive teams in their pursuit of the left-hander.
“No already-employed player was sought after more at these GM meetings than Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet, who struck out 209 batters in 146 innings and earned only $800,000 last season. The White Sox have openly told teams he’s available and are expected to trade him by the end of the winter meetings, with the Philadelphia Phillies and Dodgers the most aggressive.”
The Cubs are also a team that could become involved here, as Jon Morosi of MLB Network has reported that top outfield prospect Owen Caissie is available due to a crowded Cubs outfield.
The White Sox have reportedly been rumored to be seeking a shortstop as part of the return for Crochet, which aligns with previous reports that the White Sox would be seeking hitters in return for any pitching they trade away. This was spearheaded by the return of Miguel Vargas as part of the Erick Fedde and Michael Kopech trade this summer.
It’s not surprising that both the Phillies and Dodgers are involved in the four teams mentioned above. Both of their interest was widely reported up until the final hours of the deadline. The White Sox were reportedly close to a deal with at least one of those two teams for Crochet at this year’s Trade Deadline, but a third piece of the package could never be finalized.
Phillies infield prospect Aiden Miller could be a piece of interest, however, Philadelphia has been incredibly hesitant to include him in any trade talks with any team. Outside of Miller, the organization’s top prospects mostly involve pitching, so unless either Miller becomes available or the White Sox are strongly interested in outfielder Justin Crawford, this might not be a perfect match. The Dodgers, on the other hand, have a plethora of young position players the White Sox might be interested in, including Josue De Paula, Alex Freeland, Zyhir Hope, or Joendry Vargas, to name just a few.
As for the Mets and Red Sox, with Roman Anthony reportedly off-the-table, the Red Sox could turn to shortstop Marcelo Mayer or outfielder Braden Montgomery as potential headliners in a deal. Mayer, 21, hit .307/.370/.480 in Double-A this season while seeing improvements in both his walk and strikeout rates at that level from the previous season. However, he has a concerning injury history that has limited him to about 70 games each year in both 2023 and 2024.
The Mets could include 20-year-old Jett Williams as part of a deal for Crochet, as he is blocked at shortstop in the future by Francisco Lindor. He also struggled with injuries last season, playing in just 33 games across three levels due to right wrist surgery. He was the Mets’ first-round draft pick back in 2022 out of Rockwall-Heath High School.
Crochet, 25, missed the entire 2022 season due to Tommy John surgery and made just 13 appearances in 2023. Finally healthy in 2024, the left-hander completed his first full season as a starter. He quickly established himself as one of the best pitchers in the game, notching All-Star honors after a strong first half in which he led all of Major League Baseball in strikeouts (150), K/9 (12.6), and fWAR (3.9). He finished the season with a 3.58 ERA, 209 strikeouts, 2.69 FIP, and 1.068 WHIP over a career-high 146 innings thrown.
While nothing is reportedly close on any front for a possible trade, if the White Sox do indeed intend to deal Crochet during the Winter Meetings, it could certainly be a few weeks full of rumors. The Winter Meetings will take place this year from December 8-12, so we will continue to provide updates as they become available regarding where Crochet might end up pitching next season.
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Featured Image: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
