Garrett Crochet Calls His Involvement in Trade Rumors a “Compliment” – Hopes to Remain with White Sox originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
As the MLB trade deadline approaches in late July, the rumor mill is starting to stir.
One of the rumors worrying the White Sox includes the Garrett Crochet trade. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the Padres recently showed “strong interest“in Crochet, due to injuries to starters Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove in San Diego.
But when Crochet hears his name in trade rumors, he thinks of it as a compliment.
“That’s a huge compliment,” Crochet told Chuck Garfien on the “White Sox Talk Podcast.” “To get your name mentioned in a trade, I typically think it’s 50-50, but it typically goes to a team that’s shopping and a team that’s competing at the deadline.”
With the historically woeful direction the White Sox are trending, most speculate they will be significant sellers at the MLB trade deadline in late July. Crochet is aware of the situation, as he told NBC Sports Chicago that he “could expect those [moves] to happen.”
Crochet is off to a strong start in his first year as a true starter. He is maintaining a 3.49 ERA (49th in MLB), 0.93 WHIP (4th in MLB) and a 5-5 pitching record. His 93 strikeouts this season are second-most in the league. He also walked just 15 batters this season.
Crochet’s fastball is one of the most elite in the game, holding opposing hitters to a .150 batting average this season. He uses his fastball, which averages 156.8 miles per hour, just over 50% of his pitches. He compliments that fastball 24.2% of the time with a cutter.
Crochet is a highly coveted asset this trading deadline for a few reasons. His ceiling and young age point to a positive professional trajectory, considering this is his first full season as a starter. His contractual situation is the strong point of the negotiation, as his situation is extremely favorable to the team.
He is earning $800,000 this season while being under club control for two more seasons. His value on the field combined with his team-friendly contract situation could net South Side a strong return in a hypothetical trade.
Crochet understands the value he has, calling his involvement in the rumor a “compliment” to the season he is having as a first-year starter. But he also admits that every baseball player’s dream is to stay with his original team.
“It’s a huge compliment, but at the end of the day, if I go out there and have a bad ride, it can completely derail it,” Crochet said. “Regardless of that or not, I love being with the team that drafted me. I think it’s everyone’s dream, with the team that calls them up and with which they debut, to transform their entire career there.
Crochet said that while he was at Tennessee, these teams took pride in putting Vols baseball “back on the map.” Tennesee finished seventh in the College World Series the season after Crochet was called up to the White Sox.
But now, as an evolving MLB starter, he isn’t offended when he hears his name in trade rumors.
“When it comes to things like this and these conversations that occur, it’s not something I’ve personally considered.”
