Padres Eye White Sox Garrett Crochet in Trade Talks

As the 2024 MLB season progresses, the San Diego Padres have reportedly set their sights on a valuable young asset from the Chicago White Sox: left-handed starting pitcher Garrett Crochet . While talks are still in the early stages, a potential trade could significantly impact both team's futures.

Why Garrett Crochet?

Garrett Crochet has quickly ascended as one of the most promising talents on the White Sox roster. Despite his youth and a significant setback due to Tommy John surgery in April 2022 , Crochet's performance has been stellar upon joining the starting rotation this season.

In 13 starts this year, he's logged 69.2 innings, boasting a 3.49 ERA with impressive strikeout (33.7%) and walk (5.4%) rates. Despite a few minor hiccups, Crochet has put together a dominant season that places him near the top of the league in strikeouts through his first 13 big-league starts.

Related: Measuring Garrett Crochet's Trade Value: Complex Factors at Play for White Sox, Suitors

The Padres' Interest

Padres' president of baseball operations A.J. Preler's aggressiveness in pursuing top talents is well-documented, making their interest in Crochet not entirely surprising. With recent injuries to Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish , the Padres need to bolster their starting rotation to maintain their position in the National League playoff picture. Garrett Crochet represents a high-upside addition who could make a significant impact and comes with two years of club control beyond this season.

Possible Trade Complications

Despite the mutual interest, several factors complicate the negotiations . Garrett Crochet's unique combination of youth, control, and affordable salary makes him a valuable but challenging acquisition. Question marks surround Crochet's durability and availability into the season's latter months as each inning he throws marks a new single-season career high in his first year as a big-league starter.

Furthermore, the Padres' history of trading away prospects for high-caliber talent means they must be particularly selective in any deal-making, especially when considering parting with prospects like Ethan Salas and Leodalis De Vries.

White Sox' general manager Chris Getz hasn't been afraid to move high-end talent as he sent starting pitcher Dylan Cease to San Diego just before the start of the season. How far Getz will go in tearing Chicago's roster down to the studs remains to be seen, and the risk factors at play in a potential Crochet trade may lower return package offers past what the White Sox desire. Should either side balk at the other, it's likely this situation could pan out as all talk, no trade.

Additionally, the 2024 MLB trade deadline is just under two months away, and big names don't always tend to move this early in the season. With the White Sox firmly out of any semblance of contention, there's no hesitation to move an asset, but Crochet is sure to have plenty of suitors as teams determine what their deadline plans are. While this noise has made early-June headlines, it wouldn't be surprising for the Sox to hold on to their current ace until the market heats up closer to July 30.

What's On Tap Next?

For the White Sox, facing a dismal season record and a rebuilding phase, trading Garrett Crochet could offer a way to accelerate their rebuild with young, promising players. However, the 24-year-old lefty with two more years of team control following this season could also be exactly the type of player they choose to build a rotation around. The White Sox will need to weigh their options carefully here.

As talks progress, the baseball world is watching to see if these two teams can make a deal happen. If successful, this trade could be a pivotal moment for both the Padres' immediate goals and the White Sox' long-term plans.

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