The Chicago White Sox were the worst team in MLB history this past season, posting an unbelievable 41-121 record, a new measure of mediocrity. As a result, it is no shock that general manager Chris Getz has a Mt. Everest-sized mountain to climb to bring this organization back to respectability, and that starts with bringing in as many top prospects as possible for the future.
In order to do that, the team needs to sell off their best players. The hottest name on the board is SP Garrett Crochet, who was spectacular last season for Chicago. He had a losing record of 6-12, obviously, since the team was so horrendous. But a 2.83 xERA and 2.38 xFIP indicate just how dominant he was for the White Sox. When you take a look at his age and his current contract, Getz should have clubs lining up to start a bidding war.
Crochet is just 25 years old, and has two years of team control remaining. He is projected to have a $2.9 million salary through arbitration in 2025. That is a bargain. He is excellent, he is very affordable, and he comes with multiple years of control. It is extremely rare to find a pitcher like this available in a trade, but the White Sox need so much help that they would do so if the price is right.
The best part for them is that this bidding war is going to be open to everyone, and not just the very rich teams like the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. While Juan Soto will have a limited number of teams to sign with that can afford him, Crochet’s $2.9 million hit ensures that even the smallest of markets like Pittsburgh or Tampa Bay can afford him. This is great for Chicago because they can take the deal from whoever offers them the best package without any team worrying about cash, so the options and bidding war will be massive.
As a Chicago fan, I frequently bash the White Sox for being a poorly run organization, which they are. It is what has got them to the lowest point in MLB history. I will admit, however, that this could have been a brilliant play by the team to not trade Crochet at the last trade deadline in the season.
There was concern about his innings count in the second half, which might have given some suitors pause, but that won’t be an issue during the offseason. Now, they can take their pick as teams line up.
So, how will Crochet impact the betting market? Well, I would like to say a lot, but I doubt that will be the case. No matter how good he is, he isn’t a guy like Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto. It is rare that a pitcher moves the market a significant amount, as they only pitch once every five days. Their impact is limited as compared to an every day player.
While I don’t expect to bet on a team simply based off of where he goes, it will be a very interesting offseason. My biggest hope is that the White Sox actually do the right thing for once, but I know that is asking a lot of them.
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