Latest Phillies-Garrett Crochet rumors are worst possible news for Taijuan Walker

Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet should be traded this winter, if all goes right. The White Sox are in full rebuild mode after one of the worst seasons in MLB history. The first step to improving the on-field product is to gut the roster of players who don't fit the White Sox timeline. Despite being just 25 years old, Crochet fits that description.

On the 2024 season, Crochet had a 4.1 WAR and 3.58 ERA in 32 starts. The reason he wasn't dealt at the MLB trade deadline was due to concerns about his workload and whether Crochet would be available in the postseason. Pitching meaningless baseball in the south side of Chicago, Crochet never had to worry about that.

However, next season Crochet shouldn't have a strict innings limit, meaning the White Sox can get as much value for his this winter as they please. The southpaw has elite stuff, an ERA+ of 115 and averaged 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings, the best mark of his career so far.

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Phillies are among the favorites for Garrett Crochet, but it comes with a catch

The Phillies had one of the best starting rotations in baseball last season, as their core four of Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Christopher Sanchez and Ranger Suarez was tough to beat. At some point in 2025, they are expected to add Andrew Painter – a former top prospect – to that mix as well. Trading for Crochet is not a necessity for this group, but would improve a World Series contender which fell short of expectations this postseason.

Assuming the Phillies can sign an extend Crochet, they may be willing to attach even more prospect capital to the deal if the White Sox take a bad contract back in return. The Phillies have several of those, including but not limited to Nick Castellanos and Taijuan Walker.

Walker makes a little more sense as of this writing. While Castellanos could also be dealt this winter, the White Sox will need someone to eat Crochet's innings if they were to trade him to Philadelphia. Walker has two years and $36 million remaining on his contract, but he had a 7.10 ERA last year before he was pulled from the Phillies rotation.\

Walker was a marquee free agent after an impressive 2022 season with the New York Mets. The Phillies quickly scooped him up on a long-term deal, but the pairing just hasn't worked out on or off the field.

A fresh start – even on the worst team in baseball – might be ideal for Walker and the Phillies.