White Sox ace Garrett Crochet has been the hottest name on the trade market this month, both because of the Sox’ own failed attempt to extend him and because his camp has since indicated that the left-hander wants an extension before pitching in October for a new club. Crochet’s 114 1/3 innings this season have already eclipsed his prior career total. He’s said to be against a move to the bullpen, believing that staying on a starter’s routine is best for his health, and aiming for financial security before pushing his workload even deeper into postseason waters.
It’s rubbed many fans the wrong way to see such a business-like approach, and it’s taken many in the industry aback — White Sox GM Chris Getz included, apparently. Via Sox Machine’s James Fegan, Getz spoke with reporters yesterday and acknowledged that he was “surprised and taken back” by how Crochet’s camp handled the situation, particularly as he’d had a conversation with the left-hander’s agent at CAA just the night before.
“I think most fans and even players without knowing everything, it makes sense,” said Getz. “We understand why a stance would be taken. Now how you go about expressing that is what was a bit hurtful, quite honestly, considering I felt like we could have handled it a little bit differently and still I think everyone accomplished what they wanted to accomplish. … But Garrett and I are fine, we are good. I’ll continue to be one of his top supporters. In regard to how it affects the coming days, tough to tell.”
We’ll round up today’s Crochet chatter here and break out any major developments into their own posts…
- USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that the White Sox have become increasingly optimistic that they’ll find someone to meet their asking price on Crochet even in the wake of his extension revelation. Per Nightengale, the Sox believe that they’ll trade Crochet between now and the 5:00pm CT deadline but expect to hang onto center fielder Luis Robert Jr. — as was reported to be the case regarding Robert just last night.
- Both Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Bruce Levine of 670 The Score suggest that Crochet’s market remains strong. Rosenthal lists the Padres, Dodgers, Braves, Phillies, Red Sox and Orioles as teams with varying levels of interest. Levine echoes much of that same list and quotes an executive from a rival AL club stating the relative obvious: “You don’t get a chance to find a top pitcher like that often. You must get creative.”
- The Yankees inquired on Crochet at some point but were told in those initial talks that the two parties “didn’t match up” in a trade, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Yankees could always revisit talks, particularly with so many alternative rotation options off the board. New York has been tied to Tigers righty Jack Flaherty as well, and the Yankees are seeking a rotation upgrade as they simultaneously explore the possibility of moving Nestor Cortes in a separate deal.
Might give Dana Brown a call, he would give up Yordan, Altuve, Tucker, Bregman, and any prospect you want in return. Apparently it’s like taking candy from a baby dealing with him. Dude will give you anything you ask for after that robbery of a trade last night.
haha always a clown who posts something useless, here you are, your name fits your knowledge of baseball perfectly.
@Steve Urkel,
At a minimum, you owe us all a, “Did I do that?”
youtu.be/xz3ZOoYSMuw?si=QFPpHKGPGhY6s4U0
Steve Urkel !?
Aren’t you Steve from “Steve Urkel’s Pretty Good Trash Cans” in Houston?
All of this hullabaloo about him getting traded for the last 2 months and he is going to wind up staying put. Watch.
His trade value goes higher if the White Sox wait until the offseason. Crochet still has 2 years of control left. The number of potential suitors increases greatly after the season, and no questions left about number of innings thrown. Keep the price high and wait. Shut him down, and send him home, after the trade deadline.
Atlanta can get this over with right now. J.R. Ritchie, Owen Murphy, Jose Perdomo and Luis Guanipa. You keep Smith-Shawver and Waldrep. I will take the top 17 year-old, 18 year-old and 20 year-olds from the Braves system anytime they want to give them up!
Keep dreaming. Those guys aren’t worth dealing for at this deadline.
You are out of your mind. Those guys are exactly what the WS should look for.
I could only imagine his reaction to being benched, and the fans. What a bad situation to be in for the White Sox. I am sure if pitchers weren’t as fragile as they now appear there would have been a deal. What a bad dilemma.
Deep insight.
‘Twas a simple s***post, guv.
I can tell it was simple, simpleton.
Okey dokey, smokey.
I been saying that was a real possibility for weeks now. Ha! That said, the hardball extension and post season availability gambit, I didn’t see that coming at least in such a public way.
I wonder how much more THIS year anyone will get out if Crochet. Probably more a deal for the future rather than this year.
Get him now before someone else gets him over the winter.
Get a jump on your competition.
Wins
Crochet’s camp is going to run him out of being traded, given he wants a contract extension in order to pitch in the postseason and also has no desire to pitch out of the bullpen as he wants to remain as a starter. Not sure how many teams are going to give him an extension and ensure he’s always pitching as a starter. Teams going for the playoffs need flexibility with their arms and if it makes more sense for him to pitch out of the pen then he should be doing that. Ultimately, the goal is to win the trophy not stomp around making demands after 1 decent season.
Season is not over so it’s really only a half season.
Crochet got hurt in the playoffs while being completely mishandled by TLR that cost him a year and likely tens of millions. His demand of cash now is totally sensible given his high ceiling and already lifetime high innings. He is smart to demand whatever is in his best interest while he’s currently making $800k.
@rotofool
I’m not suggesting he shouldn’t want to get the best deal possible for him but essentially, he’s having half of a decent season so far in his career. I think he should focus on making sure he’s healthy AND effective so that he can demand higher salary down the road. Demanding an extension after having half of a decent season isn’t really a strong hand.
He’s a professional baseball player, his first responsibility is to his own health and protecting his earning power. It is a business not a game.
@justkidding
Yes, and given his injury history, he isn’t really in a position to say, I’m definitely worth a massive extension and should only be used as a starter, when he’s only pitched 114 innings since coming off TJS.
Sorry, no. His first responsibility is to his team. To win games, be prepared and to compete. The team gives him a lot of resources to make him successful…coaches, technology, training. Crochett comes off selfish. And per the terms of the CBA he has no standing to do this. He has just over 3 years service time. Not arb-eligible until 2025. His agent sandbagged Getz, and trust is a really hard thing to restore after such bad faith.
@RWH2…his first responsibility is to his own health, not blindly to his team. Perhaps you do not understand his history.
Crochet was compromised by the WhiteSox during his rookie season, going straight to the majors from college after throwing several dozen innings his senior season after a lost year to surgery. He became a dominant force in the bullpen, but was overused by Tony LaRussa, who ended the careers of many pitchers from overuse.
Game 3 of their Divisional series vs Oakland, TLR started Dunning but yanked him with two outs in the first after the A’s got a couple of batters on, then called upon Crochet without warning him up to get the last out. Then TLR sent Crochet in for the second inning, whereupon he tore his ligament and lost a year to injury, then another year to relief only instead of switched back to starter and eased back in. He’d already be making $3-5M this year had he been used correctly.
Thus, respectfully, please reassess your opinion regarding Crochet’s “selfishness.”
It would be easy if a team could offer to give him a bump in pay for this year (not sure if it’s possible or feasible).
Old fart your opinion is pure nonsense. Send him to a true contender with deep pockets and believe in your shrunken brain, he will do as required.
@Teacher
Yeah, I still remember the good ol’days in the late 1800s baseball. Great times. It’s a completely different game today. Too many soft players and cry babies, today.
How can you remember something you know nothing about is the question to ponder. The nonsense you spew gives you away. Start with tee ball and work your way up.
@Teacher
The ball’s been terribly manipulated over the years, to the point it’s not longer a baseball.
I know GMs will love his age and talent but this kid shouldn’t pitch this post season if he’s worried about his health. Almost better for a team not making the playoffs to offer him what he wants so they can arm themselves for next year. Does anyone else see trading for this kid a serious risk? Jordan Hicks on the Giants moved back to the pen after exceeding his innings. He was wearing out. Crochet seems likely to regress.
How the hell do the Yankees not match up? They’ve got 3 outfield prospects better than what’s in the majors and minors of the White Sox system.
Chris Getz doesn’t deserve to be an MLB GM.
Maybe the Yankees have a list of off limit players. Therefore, they don’t match up.
Exactly, the Sox would want Dominguez or possibly Jones (although not as much as off-season last year), and the Yanks probably said they were untouchable. Otherwise there is definitely a match.
Well we all need to refer to the Book… The Art of the Deal..and reference the page
JUST TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO AND THEY WILL DO IT..!!!!!
This will solve all problems and answer all questions
I can thank Frank Caliendo and The Godfather for this helpful hint
Uh oh, Getz showed his hand. Crochet’s camp trying to protect his health & financial future given his health history in October was to Getz “a bit hurtful, quite honestly”?
Wtf is his point of making his feelings about it public, they’re irrelevant as the GM! Getz is clearly not ready to be the public face of a FO. Not very hopeful that Getz can keep from being fleeced for a second day in a row.
Getz was sandbagged by the agent. The agent told him on thing and the next morning they go public with their demands. As for going public, he was asked the question. As for being fleeced, it seems that you and a lot of other people forget the financial side of the trade. They were dumping Kopech’s salary $3MM. And his market value is bad. 9 saves in 43 games. Pham is a 36 year old rental. He only looked good on the Sox because he was on the Sox. The deal was Fedde for Vargas and two very young high ceiling A ballers.
Yeah – it’s hard to know about the ‘fleeced’ comment yet. If only Vargas is a good major leaguer (for the next 5 years), then it’s a good deal imho, as none of those 3 were going to help them win anything substantial. Kopech might have an immaculate inning one game, then give up 2 HRs and blow a save and be lost for 2 weeks. Fedde was a huge find and a GREAT signing, but the Sox don’t need him next year for that great playoff run… and Pham was a rental who hit about league average (bad defender and not great clubhouse rep).
If they other 2 minor leaguers turn into anything it’s even better. All prospect trades are a crap shoot, but I’m still open to the possibility that this was a win.
Crochet is the final boss and he is going to get his bags. More power to that guy.
Lots of people seem upset at what he said but how many times have we seen teams run pitchers into the ground with no regard for their future career trying to win? I don’t blame him one bit for wanting to protect his arm and future livelihood.
About as many times as we’ve seen a pitcher be really good for a half to full season then teams pay year after year hoping it shows up but they suck or are hurt
“I think most fans and even players without knowing everything, it makes sense,” said Getz.
Oh okay cool, what.
Crochet will be a padre or dodger by the end of deadline.
Those are the two teams I think will the least worried about this whole extension thing.
Dodgers. I’m a Padre fan, but Crochet shares an agent with Ohtani, and the Dodgers have deep pockets and no reservations about extensions. This was totally a play by his agents to get him to LA.
Classic case of the “Tail wagging the Dog”
Based on what they accepted for Fedde, Pham, and Kopech, I’m guessing a team’s #5 prospect with the Sox throwing in Robert and Brebbia and cash considerations.
Throwing in Brebbia would lower the value of the take, not raise it.
Pure nonsense
As a White Sox fan, I’d much rather just have him get an extension and stay on the South Side. They can control his workload since the only thing to play for is avoiding a historically bad year.
He has to want to sign an extension. With the team in a rebuild and having been poorly run for years, I can’t blame him for wanting out. Which makes the timing of his comments stupid. He wants out but then torpedoes several trade partners? Say that crap after you’re traded.
The Sox are not going to extend a pitcher with an injury history and such a low workload, and least not under terms the agent would accept. The guy has half a season of success and he is acting like he’s Verlander.
Not being willing to extend him because they don’t see the value and expecting a prospect haul in a trade are contradictory.
Not saying that isn’t what’s happening. In fact it probably is. Thanks Getz.
Again, he has to be willing to sign. And it does make sense because if they did sign him to an extra three years, he’s playing at least two or three years for a rebuilding team, doing nothing but giving them worse draft slots. His value is much higher in trade for guys whose contracts match with their next window.
Watch the Braves get him by giving up crap prospects and then signing him to a six year extension by the end of the day.
Possible on the trade and extension, more than just one top prospect going back though.
That would be a very Braves move. He replaces Fried nicely too.
Their prospects are mid at best. But does seem like a white Sox move to dump him for scraps.
Keep riding that sky on high
Crochet is crocheting, or knitting, or sewing, one of those things, same can be said for Getz, and maybe he will ‘getz’ not what he wants.
Well done! I think maybe.
That was a very dull needle you just poked at the Pale Hosers.
Met the Mets! Meet the Mets!
It would be amusing if the malicious compliance retaliation for the White Sox is “You’re a reliever (not closer)” if he doesn’t get traded lol
If he’s already maxed out in innings, he’ll get hurt. Tommy John surgery coming…his price will be low
Quick education…. He hasn’t gone over 4 innings since June 30….in other words toast. His price will be low
They have limited his innings on purpose so they could trade him.
Simm:
Then why did they even pitch on Sunday? Absolutely insane that they didn’t scratch him, especially if they’ve lightened his workload to move him.
Idk, bit they should have. I guess to keep him on a routine.
And any team that trades for him is looking at his value being 2025-26 much more than this year, so they would appreciate that the WS are limiting his innings
He’s already had TJS recently, but I can’t blame him for knowing what his body does better with. The routine for starting versus being in the BP.
Like Skubal, Crochet is going nowhere.
GMs contending this year know to stay away and to seek SPs with arms that will still be around late September in to October. Also, Tigers FO and Sox FO know both these guys are in their futures.
Braves – Exactly! Some pitchers simply are not physically able to pitch out of the bullpen. It’s like with Paxton there are people saying make him a reliever …. no, that’s not happening …. there’s a reason why all 177 of his MLB games were as a starter only.
If a team spoke in the same manner as Crochet there would be an uproar. I think his comments were ridiculous, to go public with it like that pulling the rug out from under his own team.
Actually, I think he may have just doomed himself to the ChiSox until FA. No team is going to want a guy who’s demanding additions things to do what he’s already paid to do, especially before he even gets to whatever team that will be.
It’s a bad career choice if he wants to maximize his earning potential.
Of course a Bot would “think” such a thing!
Given how disloyal teams are, I don’t mind a player being a mercenary.
A hostage taker is a bit different.
Seriously.. since the Cubs are looking for pieces to build for ‘25 and later and they have a deep farm system, and since Crochet doesn’t want to pitch in the post season without an extension- doesn’t he make a decent trade candidate for the Cubs?
A very strange situation…and I’m not intimating anybody is a bad guy.
Much of the value to Crochet is that with two years of arby left and a present $800,000 salary, he is a very cheap SP for the next two seasons, let alone what he brings to the table the rest of this season.
But basically, he and his agent have announced that Crochet will go on strike at the end of the regular season, if he doesn’t get a (presumably) long term, expensive contract extension.
This makes a TON of sense for him, because he is assuming all the risk. He also would hold all the cards in negotiations, if the acquiring team was counting on Crochet for a playoff run. How does an acquiring team handle such a demand?
If I’m a GM, I’m not sure that I’d desire to immediately have a negotiating gun to my head. My offer for him would reflect that.
I’d probably make an offer, based upon the two years of cheap control, plus a PTBNL, the value of which would hinge on him playing this post season.
Goodbye, gun to the head.
Cat- all good points.
I guess it’s possible a team uses him the rest of the year and leaves him off the playoff roster. That would mean he would have to make a decision. Say put me in coach with no new deal or becoming an outcast that likely follows him around the rest of his career.
Of course we don’t know what kind of an extension he wants. No team is gonna give him like a 7-8 year deal. He may just want his two arb years covered and perhaps a team gives him more than he will get via his current arb projections.
Will be an interesting story to follow. I also wonder if the Sox will grant an hour or two window before the deadline to talk with his agent about it.
I’m not sure that such a decision would make him an outcast.
MLB players are strong unionists. They know its a business, and many of them have been the ‘victims’ of service time manipulations. They know that ownership has no qualms about losing a few games early in the season so as to gain future service time or keep a youngster from Super 2. They also know that a pitcher’s career can end on one pitch.
To a lot of players, Crochet would be a hero.
The owners can’t do that anymore under the current CBA.
Fair points. I’m not sure either. I just wonder what his teammates would think of it. Especially the vets that would never require such a thing.
Personally I totally get it why he is saying that. His career is on the line and he is willing to put it on the line but wants some financial security.
Now if he asks for 200-300m or won’t extend then I’d have a problem with him.
Yes they can. They do it every year.
The CBA offers some incentives not to with a few elite prospects, but there is nothing that prevents a team from doing it.
That’s why in early May there is so much speculation on exactly what date prospects will pass eligibility for Super 2…and calculations on exactly when a kid can be put on the active roster to avoid gaining a year of service time.
Baltimore. Mayo and Bradfield Jr.
Perhaps joining a team and that teammhaving a six-man roatation the rest of the way would benefit him. It would only “cost” him one start.
One or two (maybe theee) starts. The Red Sox, for example, have 57 games left. If everybody made all their starts, it’d be 12, 12, 11, 11, and 11 starts for the rotation. In a six-man, it’d be 10, 10, 10, 9, 9, and 9.
Crochet is doing a different version of the Matt Harvey. He is using whatever leverage he has to take care of himself. I don’t blame him with how the history of converted relievers to starters lately have been breaking down.
The White Sox did do Crochet a little dirty. He was drafted as a starter and they converted him to a reliever. Now they converted him to a starter but under a reliever’s contract.
His salary wouldn’t be any different. He is being paid under the terms of the CBA. He has only 3 years service time, so it is basically the MLB minimum. And don’t forget he got a multimillion dollar bonus for being the 11th pick in 2020. And he’s never been in the minors except for rehab. And he was being paid while he recovered from TJS. So the Sox did him dirty?
I’d rather have Skubal than Crochet.
….said everyone always. But the cost (in prospects) will be 3x Crochet
I don’t think they get traded at all but I would love the phillies to go make a trade for him, He would be a game changer.
Imagine being injured for the majority of your career, then you finally have a good half of a season and now you think you can make demands. I’d send his ass to the minors to show him he doesn’t call any shots
Worse for him, keep him on the Sox and make him pitch every 5 days for the next two months while his ERA balloons and he loses or gets a no decision every start with the AAA team behind him.
I don’t see Crochet being traded at all
Wait for the off-season when you can get more bidders. Shut him down now to “preserve his health.” Makes him even more valuable as a trade chip.
If Crochet doesn’t get dealt, he shouldn’t throw another pitch this season. That Chicago didn’t scratch him on Sunday was terrible course management; if they don’t shut him down after not moving, then they just don’t get it….
They’re setting up Crochet to the Dodgers. Same agent as Ohtani, and they’ll give him an extension.
Who would the dodgers give up in the trade? It would have to be at least 3 top 25 prospects.
That quote from Getz tho lol. As word salad gm speak that actually communicates nothing it’s kind of a work of art in its genre lol
I think a team with a strong minor league system but no real chance at the 2024 postseason should offer Getz four 40-45-level prospects, one each from AAA, AA, A+, and A. The White Sox farm system was so bad a year ago, it’s getting better but they still need more pieces.
Crochet doesn’t have to worry about being overused this year, and they can work with him on a three year extension with provisions for injury (example: the John Lackey deal Theo Epstein negotiated where the Red Sox had a team option at low salary if Lackey missed most of a season) that buy out his last two arbitration years and a year of free agency.
One thing I’ve learned over the last two presidential terms is don’t believe what he media says..that being said shame on Reinsdorf for giving Getz enough control that he doesn’t have to fire a manager that will lead you to the worst record in your 100+ year history and the sense that he doesn’t have to produce results until 2027.
White Sox, maybe Crochet is telling you he wants to stay in Chicago
Braves dodged a bullet on this one. They have what they need to get to the playoffs and see what happens. No need to blow out the future budget for overpriced players