Baltimore Orioles Seen As Perfect Trade Partner for Garrett Crochet

The Baltimore Orioles, to some, are the perfect trade partner for the Chicago White Sox and their sought-after ace, Garrett Crochet

Sep 7, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (45) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

With the Winter Meetings quickly approaching for the Baltimore Orioles, this will be an important time for the team to try and make some improvements. 

So far, free agency has been quiet for the Orioles, and that might not be a bad thing. Baltimore has both Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander on the open market currently, and each will be signing big contracts. 

Burnes is widely regarded as the best starting pitcher on the market, and Santander is coming off a fantastic slugging season. 

There is a real possibility that both won't be back in 2025, as their ace could simply be too expensive if teams like the New York Mets get involved. 

Since free agency hasn’t been the way that the franchise has generally looked to make moves, the organization could look to flip some of their talented young players in order to bring in a potential replacement for Burnes. 

Recently, David Schoenfield of ESPN.com floated the idea of the Orioles being a good trade partner with the Chicago White Sox for their starter Garrett Crochet. 

“White Sox general manager Chris Getz is reportedly prioritizing position players over pitching prospects in a potential Crochet trade, and perhaps only the Red Sox can match Baltimore's depth in that category," he wrote.

The White Sox have received plenty of overtures about Crochet, and the industry reporting is that Chicago is seeking a large number of prospects in return.

While Schoenfield believes that infielder Jackson Holliday is "probably untouchable," other prospects like Coby Mayo, Samuel Basallo and Heston Kjerstad could be part of a deal.

Other players he listed as potential trade assets were Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser from the MLB roster, and otfielders Vance Honeycutt and Enrique Bradfield Jr, both of whom are in the minor leagues.

Crochet has been one of the top pitchers rumored to be available in the trade market this offseason, as his name was mentioned a lot at the trade deadline. 

There is certainly a lot to like about the southpaw as a trade target. He is under team control for a couple of more years, and is coming off an excellent season in 2024. On a historically bad White Sox team, the left-hander totaled (6-12) record, 3.58 ERA, and 209 strikeouts. 

If Chicago is prioritizing getting young hitters back in return for Crochet, Baltimore is going to be an excellent fit. It is going to be a lengthy rebuild for the White Sox over the next couple of years, so getting MLB-ready prospects won’t necessarily be a priority for them. 

For Baltimore, Crochet would be an excellent addition to the starting rotation with or without Burnes. At just 25 years old, the southpaw could become a staple in the rotation for years to come.