CHICAGO (670 The Score) – Left-hander Garrett Crochet and the White Sox have reached a crossroads in which they both need the other to accomplish their future goals, even if that future is unlikely to be together.
The 25-year-old Crochet desires health and financial security, but a contract extension with the MLB-worst, rebuilding White Sox is a non-starter. The White Sox desire premium value on the trade market for Crochet as they look to their future, and they didn’t find a deal to their liking as the deadline came and went Tuesday at 5 p.m.
One reason the White Sox didn’t move Crochet is because he and his agency indicated he wouldn’t pitch in the playoffs for a new team without a contract extension. That development complicated trade conversations as it created great uncertainty.
"Ultimately, whether a deal went through or not was dependent on that,” Crochet said. “I think any team would see the (small) amount of innings I threw last year and find my comment reasonable. So I think ultimately it was the right call (by me), and that's it.”
Crochet set those parameters in order to protect his health, as he has thrown a career-high 114 1/3 innings in 2024, his first as a starter in the big leagues. He had logged 73 innings in his MLB career prior to this season. He missed all of the 2022 season and much of 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
For his part, White Sox general manager Chris Getz didn’t sound pleased with Crochet’s demand for a new contract if he was to pitch in the playoffs for a new club. Getz admitted the White Sox were “taken aback” to learn of that.
With that as context, Crochet was asked about his relationship with Getz and the organization.
“Chris is a busy man,” Crochet said of his conversations throughout the process. "I did not get to see him a ton. I believe it is good. It was all about the lack of innings I had last year. Anyone could understand in the industry. It is logical for me to have that line of thinking.”
What the White Sox need to do now is devise a plan to continue to get Crochet work without piling up stressful innings as they want to protect his health so he has maximum value in trade discussions this offseason.
Crochet has posted a 3.23 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 22 starts this season. He has also struck out an American League-high 160 batters.
Crochet isn’t sure of what his innings workload will look like in the final two months of the season.
“Whether a workload discussion occurs sometime soon, I am sure I will be a part of that,” Crochet said. “At the same time, I wouldn't want to be at the forefront of making the call on that. I just want to go out and pitch. Maybe I will be (upset) when they take me out, but then knowing what they want to hold me to go into the start, that might make me feel I need to be more economical with my pitches instead of blowing heaters like I typically would. We have been playing it by ear all season. If that changes or not, I am not sure. If we ramp down, I think we can avoid that (fatigue). The goal next year is to be set free.
“My goal is to get through the season healthy. After that, who knows.”
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.