Dodgers reportedly made 'final hour' push for blockbuster with White Sox

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been stockpiling starting pitching talent at incredible rates. But at the 2024 deadline, they evidently came close to grabbing another ace.

Right before the buzzer sounded on trade season in Major League Baseball, the Dodgers acquired former Detroit Tigers star Jack Flaherty, in what was widely considered the biggest pitching blockbuster of the season.

But around the same time L.A. was on the phone with Detroit, they had an open line of communication with another American League Central club, hoping to land an even bigger deal.

The Chicago White Sox, easily the worst team in Major League Baseball this season, had a tricky decision to make about dealing star lefty starter Garrett Crochet. And though the Dodgers did not acquire Crochet, they reportedly came pretty darn close.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Dodgers and White Sox were in communication until the final horn about a deal for Crochet.

"The Los Angeles Dodgers... made offers for Crochet that the Chicago White Sox considered attractive, according to sources briefed on the discussions," Rosenthal said. "And in the final hour, the Dodgers were still talking to the White Sox about a possible deal."

Crochet, 25, was an All-Star in 2024, his first season as a starting pitcher in MLB. He also reportedly was unwilling to pitch in this year's postseason without first receiving a contract extension, which likely deterred teams from pursuing him more aggressively.

Rosenthal also reported that the Dodgers' unwillingness to move Dalton Rushing, a catcher/outfielder widely regarded as L.A.'s number-one prospect, likely prevented a deal from crossing the finish line.

While the Dodgers will chase a World Series without Crochet in 2024, there's every chance they could pursue him again, as he is arbitration-eligible through 2027. And if that never happens, they still have more high-priced pitching talent to lean on than any other team in history.

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