White Sox Star Pitcher Listed as Trade Candidate; Could Yankees Go After Him at Deadline?

The White Sox will likely be having another fire-sale at the trade deadline, which could benefit the Yankees

Jun 7, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet (45) delivers against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees (47-21, .691) own the second-best record in Major League Baseball behind the Philadelphia Phillies (45-20, .692) and will likely be buyers once the Trade Deadline approaches. One name who might be of interest to General Manager Brian Cashman and the organization is Garrett Crochet.

The Chicago White Sox left-handed starting pitcher is having an excellent season in 2024. Crochet owns a 6-5 record, 3.33 ERA with 103 strikeouts (currently leads the American League) and just 17 walks in 75.2 innings, performing at an All-Star level for a lowly last-place (17-49) team that will be sellers come deadline time. Crochet's emergence and two more years of team control in arbitration is exactly the type of move that would intrigue Cashman.

MLB Network Insider and New York Post baseball columnist Jon Heyman listed Crochet as one of 10 selected players among the teams he expects to be sellers before July 30. Other notable players on Heyman’s current list who should interest the Yankees include: Oakland Athletics closer Mason Miller, Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (25-year old lefty), and Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson (also a lefty).

https://t.co/EipdJP3R1A. Robert, Alonso, Jansen and 7-plus more stars who may move in trade in order of expected return (new names in here)

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 7, 2024

The Yankees pitching staff leads the Majors in collective ERA at 2.90 (Philadelphia Phillies are second at 2.93) entering Monday, June 10, and that collective performance excludes the defending AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole. With a superstar-like breakout from 26-year-old Luis Gil – 8-1, 2.04 ERA, 90 strikeouts in 75 innings across 13 starts this season – who is one of the current front-runners for AL Rookie of the Year and in the Cy Young Award discussion himself, the starting rotation has not been a glaring issue.

Adding depth, however, never hurts. Most World Series contenders and winners are historically active at the Trade Deadline. Where manager Aaron Boone and the coaching staff could use more help, naturally, is in the bullpen. One of the more notable non-hitting holes on the well-rounded roster is a left-handed specialist or lefty matchup arm for the bullpen.

So, why would the 24-year-old Crochet, who turns 25 on June 21, Luzardo and Anderson market appeal to the Yankees? This would allow Cashman and Boone to subsequently add to the bullpen internally without the need to make another external acquisition or signing, and to likely deal from a position of leverage with a team already distant in the postseason race.

Clarke Schmidt was having a strong season before being placed on the 15-day injured list with a right lat strain on May 30. Schmidt would likely move to the bullpen come playoff time with Marcus Stroman filling a similar role in long relief.

To accommodate the lefty hole, the Yankees could consider moving Nestor Cortes to the bullpen thanks to 2022 offseason free agent acquisition Carlos Rodon having a terrific season – 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 3 K in a 4-2 Yankees win Monday against the Kansas City Royals – in the event the organization acquires Crochet (Luzardo or Anderson).

Giving up assets to acquire Crochet makes sense. It immediately strengthens and deepens the Yankees pitching staff for the remainder of this season and through 2026, as well as upgrades the bullpen without subtracting, but doesn’t remove flexibility for the Yankees should the organization seek upgrade(s) at key infield positions and/or better bats on the bench.