Latest Report On Premier Starting Pitcher Effects Brewers Odds Of Trading For Star

Milwaukee may have to look elsewhere

Mar 28, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (45) delivers a pitch during the second inning of the Opening Day game against the Detroit Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Brewers should consider themselves a possible landing spot for some of the premier starting pitchers on the trade block, but one pitcher may have taken himself off this list.

The Brewers are among many teams looking to get the starting pitching help needed for a postseason run and one of the best starters available at the trade deadline may have closed off his market from a team like Milwaukee.

"Garrett Crochet's plan with (the Chicago) White Sox is to pitch normal workload as a starter until the end of the regular season," the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Thursday morning. "If traded (he) would need an extension to pitch in October. He won’t move to the bullpen and will not take any break. Views starter routine as best for health."

Crochet has a 3.07 ERA with a 157-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .201 batting average against and a 0.97 WHIP in 111 1/3 innings pitched across 21 games this season.

The Brewers currently have the top spot of the National League Central and are headed towards a postseason berth which means they would have to offer Crochet an extension if he is traded to Milwaukee so that he can pitch in October.

This could make the All-Star less enticing for teams in the mix to compete for a World Series title if they aren't willing to commit to a young hurler who has only shown a few years of elite play at the major league level.

Even if the Brewers were fully convinced that Crochet was the next bona fide ace in baseball, it's unlikely they'd sign anyone of his market value, especially a pitcher -- a position that tends to be a much riskier long-term investment.

If Milwaukee deems Crochet too risky to trade for and extend, his teammate Erick Fedde, Toronto Blue Jays' Chris Bassit or Yusei Kikuchi or Detroit Tigers' Jack Flaherty may be better targets for the Brew Crew.

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