The dust has settled on the Juan Soto sweepstakes; the 26-year-old star right fielder decided to join the New York Mets on a record-setting 15-year, $765 million deal that could be worth as much as $805 million if the team decides to void Soto's opt-out in Year 5 — spurning the New York Yankees in the process. It is then expected for the rest of the dominoes to fall, with Garrett Crochet most likely being on the move from the Chicago White Sox after their historically-bad 2024 campaign.
Crochet continues to draw plenty of interest on the trade market, and for good reason. He is only 25 years of age, and he has some of the best strikeout stuff among starting pitchers in the big leagues. And once again, it is looking as though it will be the Yankees and Mets duking it out for one of the best starting pitchers available for trade, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reporting as such.
“After engaging in a spirited bidding war for prized free agent Juan Soto, the New York Mets and New York Yankees are among the teams vying for the best starting pitcher available via trade, Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet, sources briefed on the talks say,” Rosenthal and Will Sammon wrote.
After losing Luis Severino to the Athletics in free agency, there is a need for the Mets to add a pitcher who is capable of fronting the rotation. Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana are free agents as well, making this need all the more pressing.
But the Yankees may not be able to take losing two of their prized targets to their crosstown rival, of all teams. Crochet could be their retaliatory swing for the fences, although the 25-year-old lefty won't do much to fill the void they now have in the heart of their lineup with the departure of Soto.
Yankees, Mets lead race for Garrett Crochet
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While the Yankees and Mets are expected to give everything they've got in their pursuit of Garrett Crochet, Crochet not being a free agent means that other teams, even those with lesser financial means, will be in on the White Sox southpaw.
Joining the Yankees and Mets in the Crochet sweepstakes are the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies; the Red Sox are desperate for a quality left-handed starting pitcher, while the Phillies will be doubling down on the team's greatest strength if they do pull off a trade for the 25-year-old lefty.
