Report: White Sox increasingly likely to trade top pitcher

Sep 1, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Chicago White Sox hat and glove against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at SunTrust Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago White Sox are increasingly likely to trade their top pitcher ahead of the July 30 trade deadline, according to a report.

The White Sox briefly engaged in talks about a contract extension with pitcher Garrett Crochet. However, those talks went nowhere, and according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today , the team is now expected to trade him prior to the deadline.

The team’s urgency to trade Crochet is something of a surprise, as the pitcher is not eligible for free agency until after the 2026 season. He will get more expensive in salary arbitration, but it is not as if the White Sox risk losing him for nothing if they do not move him now. It may be that they simply do not envision themselves contending over the next two to three seasons and figure Crochet will be at maximum trade value now.

One other notable factor is, as things stand, the White Sox plan to significantly limit Crochet’s workload in the second half, with Crochet’s camp signed on to it. That plan may be amended or even abandoned by any team that acquires him, and his camp may ask for a contract extension for added protection in order to do so.

Crochet is just 25 and would be a long-term addition for any team trading for him. One major AL contender has already been linked in recent weeks.

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