Heading into the MLB trade deadline, Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet was arguably the most coveted target on the market. However, the White Sox decided to rebuff all trade offers and hold onto Crochet.
It wasn't without prodding however, as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies were hot on Crochet's tail. The only problem was that the Dodgers nor Phillies offered the White Sox the prospects they required in a deal. Philadelphia refused to trade Andrew Painter while Los Angeles kept Dalton Rushing off the trade block, via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Chicago was willing to get creative, even considering trades where they would get a lesser prospect pool for the acquiring team to take on Andrew Benintendi's contract. The Dodgers were at least willing to offer River Ryan in the deal.
But ultimately, no trade made sense for the White Sox at the deadline. Crochet's refusal to pitch in the playoffs without a contract extension didn't help matters. Still, Chicago will likely look to revisit talks in the offseason with more information at hand. Crochet's innings issue won't be a problem at the start of the 2025 campaign.
Even without Garrett Crochet, the Dodgers and Phillies are two of the scariest playoff contenders as the regular season nears its close. Philadelphia leads the NL East with their 71-50 record. Los Angeles leads the West at 71-51.
Perhaps both teams will try to look back into a Crochet trade after the season. But the White Sox have made it very clear what they're expecting in a return package.
Garrett Crochet prospect return worries Dodgers, Phillies
Crochet would undoubtedly be a massive boost to both the Dodgers and Phillies. Making his full-time jump to starting pitcher in 2024, the left-hander has thrown to a 3.65 ERA and a 167/30 K/BB ratio. He earned the first All-Star Game nomination of his career.
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However, if Crochet held true on this threat both squads would need to pay up immediately. Between that and the prospect capital, a deal couldn't be reached.
Painter ranks as the second-best prospect in the Phillies' organization and the 34th-best in all of baseball, via MLB Pipeline. He hasn't pitched since 2022 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. But when on the mound, Painter has thrown to a 6-2 record with a 1.48 ERA and a 167/25 K/BB ratio over 26 games.
The Dodgers moved Rushing to the outfield with Will Smith locked in for the decade. No matter the position, Rushing ranks as the best prospect in the Dodgers' organization and the 39th-best in all of baseball, via Pipeline. He is hitting .271 with 18 home runs and 63 RBI over 86 games in 2024.
Los Angeles and Philadelphia are serious about their World Series pursuit. But so are the White Sox about Garrett Crochet, rendering a deal impossible.
