Why Garrett Crochet is now the riskiest trade-deadline option

Any potential playoff team in need of starting pitcher is almost certain to have some level of interest in Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet.

The White Sox, in the middle of a historically bad season, are set to be sellers before Tuesday's trade deadline and Crochet figures to be one of their most marketable trade chips given his dominance on the mound this season.

As good as Crochet has been, though, he might also be the riskiest trade deadline option on the market this week. Not because of his skill, but because of his availability. According to a report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Patrick Mooney and Will Sammon this week, Crochet might not be willing to pitch in the playoffs for a new team unless he gets some sort of a contract extension. He also reportedly has no interest in going back to the bullpen and would prefer to remain as a starting pitcher.

This is Crochet's first full season as a starter and it has produced incredible results as he has been one of the American League's best starting pitchers, striking out 12.7 batters per nine innings. He would instantly make any playoff team better no matter what role he was used in.

But Crochet's situation is not exactly a straightforward one given his history and workload.

Not only does Crochet already have one Tommy John surgery on his record (2022), he had also spent his entire big league career prior to this season working as a reliever. He is almost certainly working on an innings limit given the added workload and recent nature of his surgery. He threw just 12 innings during the 2023 season and even with the White Sox limiting him, he has already thrown 100 more innings this season.

The uncertainty of his availability for October — as well as the uncertainty with his price tag financially on a contract extension — will almost certainly scare off some teams when it comes to giving up prized prospects. There might also be some clubs and front offices that do not like a player setting up limits for himself that put his own well-being ahead of that of the team.

There is, however, some recent precedent for this. Current Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader put self-imposed limits on himself that would not have him pitch more than one inning per relief appearance until he got a new contract extension. He eventually become one of the highest-paid relief pitchers ever, signing a $95 million contract with the Houston Astros over the offseason. Hader now has zero self-imposed restrictions.

While this might be a new mode of thinking among players, it is understandable why players like Hader and Crochet have taken these steps. Pitching injuries are at an all-time high due to the max effort, high velocity and high spin-rate demands of the position, with pre-arbitration players having almost no leverage when it comes to their salary. It is understandable why some are starting to want more protection.

The question now becomes whether or not a team wants to test Crochet's willingness to shut himself down in October without a new contract extension. It should make for a fascinating few days.