White Sox blockbuster trade chip puts team in impossible spot with comments

Even though the 2024 season has gone on for a little over two months, we can make a final determination for some teams. The Chicago White Sox fit the bill. Entering Saturday with a major-league worst 16-48 record, they are going to sell at the trade deadline. With a team in their position, trading their best players to recoup some top prospects will help in a much-needed rebuild.

One player the White Sox could trade is left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet. This season, the starting pitcher holds a 3.33 ERA. a 0.93 WHIP, a 6-5 win-loss record, 103 strikeouts, and 17 walks in 75.2 innings. A solid year for the 24-year-old, who is in his first year as a starting pitcher for Chicago. It should come as no surprise that Crochet has been the subject of trade rumors. Specifically, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the San Diego Padres had "strong interest" in Crochet.

While speaking with Chuck Garfien of the "White Sox Talk Podcast," Crochet said that he viewed himself being linked in trade rumors as "a huge compliment." But Crochet says there's part of him that would like to remain with the team that drafted him.

Garrett Crochet views trade rumors as 'huge compliment,' but says part of him would like to remain with White Sox

"It's a huge compliment but at the end of the day, if I go out there and I have one bad outing, it could be completely derailed," said Crochet, h/t NBC Sports Chicago. "Regardless of that, or not, I love being with the team that drafted me. I think it's everybody's dream with the team that drafts them and the team they debut with to kinda transform their whole career there."

This does put the White Sox in a bit of a difficult spot. With Crochet, he is only 24 years old and could be a focal point of their starting rotation for years to come. After all, he does have two more years of arbitration after this season, before officially hitting free agency after the 2026 campaign.

But on the opposite side, the White Sox could get a solid return of prospects for Crochet to help accelerate their rebuild. Of course, that would be dependent on how the organization's minor league system develops them. That is the key. You can win a trade initially, but what about a couple of years down the road? That will be key.

In his career, Crochet has recorded a 3.03 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, 188 strikeouts, and 57 walks in 148.2 innings of work.

Crochet has mixed emotions about potentially being traded by the White Sox. It will be a matter of what the White Sox decide to do by the July 30 trade deadline. The team isn't contending, and they already have an interested suitor in Crochet. Will he be dealt? Or will he tay in Chicago for the rest of the year?