As the days pass, trade deadline chatter only intensifies. Trade discussions dominate sports television and are inescapable as the July 30 trade deadline looms.
For the White Sox, who are in the midst of one of the worst seasons in baseball history, the trade deadline affords the team a chance to recoup some much-needed prospect capital. With All-Star ace Garrett Crochet and center fielder Luis Robert Jr., the team has an opportunity to benefit from a seller’s market.
But the trade deadline got more complicated for general manager Chris Getz after reports from the New York Post that the Sun-Times confirmed that Crochet wants to remain in the starting rotation for the remainder of the season and wants an extension to pitch in October.
“In terms of that, it kind of just is what it is right now,” Crochet said pregame. “I’m focused on pitching for the White Sox, and beyond that, I’m not really controlling much.”
Crochet was then asked if he could confirm or deny the reports that he wants an extension if traded.
“No comment right now,” he said.
But his no comment is a comment, and only complicates the Sox’ plans at the trade deadline. There were already concerns surrounding Crochet because of his workload management — Crochet has already pitched 111 ⅓ innings, more than he’d pitched in his entire major league career before this season. Because of his inexperience as a starter, the Sox started limiting his workload — Crochet hasn’t pitched more than four innings since June 30.
Pitcher injuries have dominated the beginning of this season and the shortened starts the Sox have implemented for Crochet are by his own volition, manager Pedro Grifol said.
If a contender acquired Crochet, it would have to consider how best to utilize the left-hander. The starter-turned-reliever has already been vocal about wanting to stay on a starter’s routine and not go back to the bullpen. He said the routine allows him to maintain his conditioning throughout the season.
“I think for me it’s like being able to structure my workouts accordingly,” Crochet said. “I think that you know touching the mound that second day, I found it works pretty well for me.
“But I think just like the structure of it, I think it’s really added a lot of benefits to my health and to my stuff overall maintaining throughout the length of a whole season.”
Crochet and Grifol both said that the left-hander feels fine physically.
“Right now, there are no red flags,” Grifol said.
Crochet’s breakout season has blown past any reasonable expectation people might have placed on him. Entering Friday’s game, he’s second in the majors with 157 strikeouts — behind former Sox ace Dylan Cease — 17th in ERA among qualified starters (3.07) and 11th in total WAR (4.1).
He’s also under team control for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. Crochet is the most valuable player the Sox have to trade—and arguably the most valuable player on the trade market—because of performance and contract flexibility.
Given that the highest the Sox can pick in the 2025 MLB Draft is No. 10, Getz’s only chance to add cheap, controllable young talent is through trades.
But Crochet isn’t focused on the deadline and said not having Twitter helps. He understands that where he plays after the trade deadline is “out of his control.”
“Ultimately, I know that there’s a lot of noise but I don’t think it’s had an effect on my performance or the way I go about every day,” Crochet said. “Whether it’s Tuesday or not, I’m not really too worried about it.”