Cubs suitors for Garrett Crochet? MLB Insider Suggests Offseason Possibility originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
After a disappointing first half of the season, which saw the Puppies sitting in last place in the NL Central, and with an already slow 2-4 start after the All-Star break, North Side intends to sell at the MLB trade deadline, July 30.
“Where we are right now, I have to say that the changes just for 2024 – unless things change next week – we probably won’t make a lot of changes that just help us this year,” said team president Jed. Hoyer said Monday. “If the measures help us in 2025 and beyond, I think we are exceptionally well positioned.”
With that, the Cubs appear open for business. Jameson Taillon will certainly be an interesting name to keep an eye on at the trade deadline. Other players who could be traded next week remain to be seen.
But the signal to regroup at the MLB trade deadline points to a stronger offseason of shopping for the North Side. Assuming they hope to keep the same core of skill players, the Cubs will inevitably need to address their pitching.
And MLB insider Ken Rosenthal noted Wednesday that the Cubs could be off-season suitors for White socks beginner Garrett Crochet.
“At the moment, the teams with the most interest in Crochet are candidates”, Rosenthal wrote. “The list of suitors could expand in the offseason to include teams currently out of contention but planning to compete in 2025. The Chicago Cubs, for example. The Blue Jays. Maybe even the Nationals.”
Crochet’s name has spread rumors as a trade candidate for the upcoming deadline. The White Sox plan to become big sellers. And crochet is their most valuable asset, poised to provide them with a strong return. There is no secret there.
But Rosenthal reported that some industry figures expect the White Sox to be able to keep Crochet after the deadline, despite widespread speculation that he will be traded. Some believe there will be a greater number of suitors during the offseason for teams looking to compete next season. All of your current suitors are candidates.
MORE: MLB insider Ken Rosenthal says some expect White Sox to keep Garrett Crochet this season
And if there’s one thing White Sox fans have learned from GM Chris Getz’s management style, it’s that he wants to maximize the return on every available trade package. That’s why the decision to move starter Dylan Cease to the Padres lasted all of last offseason. The White Sox want to get the most out of Crochet.
But it’s also reasonable that teams would want to see Crochet pitch the entire season before making a trade for him. Remember, this is Crochet’s first full season as a full-time starter. And by the start of the 2024 season, the left-hander was finishing rehab from the April 2022 Tommy John surgery he underwent.
This season, Crochet has pitched 111.1 innings, which is more than double the number of innings he has pitched in a single season in his career (54.1 in 2021). Before transitioning into a starting role, Crochet was predominantly a high-speed, short-pitched middle reliever. Now, he is averaging 5.2 innings per game.
But so far, Crochet has shown no signs of slowing down.
In fact, former White Sox player Frank Thomas pointed out on the “White Sox Postgame Live Show” on NBC Sports Chicago that the 11 days of rest the White Sox gave him during the All-Star break messed with his rhythm. Thomas stated that Crochet is probably on pace with the five-day rest system.
On Tuesday, Crochet pitched just four innings in the team’s attempt to limit his workload. He struck out seven times, allowing just two runs against the Rangers, but his command was noticeably odd on 74 pitches.
The White Sox informed him before the game that he would have a limited pitch count. This is part of the plan the White Sox have to manage Crochet’s workload throughout the rest of the season.
“We have to be very careful with his workload and manage it,” said coach Pedro Grifol before Tuesday’s game. “There is a plan that you will all know about after the game. But I see it as a glass half full.”
Still, the White Sox want Crochet to get the workload he deserves and needs for his confidence.
“I think it would be very beneficial for him if he got 30, 32 games,” Grifol said. “Whether he finishes the last game in one inning, I think it’s really good for him to go through a full season and get 30 games. making any type of adjustments we have to make throughout the season to make sure he’s healthy and finishes this year ready to go into next.”
But could he end up suiting up for the 2025 season with North Side?
Crochet, 25 years old, is a highly valuable asset. He is maintaining a 3.07 ERA and 0.970 WHIP in 21 starts this season. His 157 strikeouts currently lead the MLB. And he also earned his first All-Star appearance this season.
The lefty is expected to earn $800,000 this season. But he will be under club control for the next two seasons, making him an affordable asset for clubs looking to save money on a starting pitcher this off-season. He will not become a free agent until 2027.
There are suitors interested in acquiring Crochê before this season’s deadline. But if he remains on the White Sox roster after July 30, the Cubs could get in on the action this offseason if they choose to pursue starting pitching.
