Garrett Crochet’s move from the bullpen to the rotation for the Chicago White Sox turned out to be so successful that the left-hander quickly emerged as a pitcher in high demand leading up to the July 30 trade deadline.
The trade speculation has returned after his All-Star season and will be a main topic of conversation at the MLB winter meetings next week in Dallas.
Here are three questions on the mound — including Crochet’s future — and behind the plate as the Sox look toward 2025.
1. Will Garrett Crochet be traded?
The Sox were popular during the 2023 winter meetings as teams lined up to express interest in starter Dylan Cease, who was dealt to the San Diego Padres in March.
This year teams are focused on Crochet, who had a 3.58 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 32 starts.
“Garrett, the success he had throughout the year, that was front-line type stuff,” Sox general manager Chris Getz said at last month’s MLB GM meetings. “In our minds we have a threshold, and it is nice to have something to work off of that wasn’t too long ago — going through that market, too, with Cease — and diving in deep at the (July trade) deadline to understand what the prospects look like in organizations to set us up for efficient conversations in the offseason.”
Reports have listed the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies among the teams in pursuit of the 25-year-old Crochet, whose contract has two more seasons of club control. When it comes to potential returns, Getz said, “You have an opportunity to get both high-impact, upper-level talent.”
Position players are a priority.
“Now you don’t want to pigeonhole yourself,” Getz said. “You want to focus on getting the best return that you can for your club. Some organizations, their prospects are at the top of the minor leagues, and others are further away. That’s part of the assessment process.
“Garrett had an outstanding year and he’s wearing a White Sox uniform. And I could very easily see him making an opening-day start for us as well.”
2. With or without Crochet, how will the Sox fill out the rest of their rotation?
The Sox looked to the Korea Baseball Organization for pitching help during last year’s winter meetings, signing Erick Fedde.
The right-hander — who had six seasons of MLB experience with the Washington Nationals before earning KBO MVP honors in 2023 — went 7-4 with a 3.11 ERA for the Sox. He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in July.
The Sox signed Chris Flexen to a one-year deal later in the winter last year. They have a similar type of pitcher in mind this offseason.
“We’ll be on the hunt for someone like a Fedde or Flexen that can provide some things for us — more than anything to protect those younger arms (in the rotation) as they ease their way into the major-league season,” Getz said. “Because for some of these guys, it’s going to take a minute for them to have an understanding on what it’s like to pitch on a regular basis at the major-league level. So to be able to bring in some arms to help protect that is wise.”
The young pitchers include Jonathan Cannon and Drew Thorpe.
Cannon, a third-round pick in 2022, went 5-10 with a 4.49 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 23 outings (21 starts) during his rookie season. He was the winning pitcher when the Sox ended their American League record-tying 21-game losing streak.
Thorpe, one of the pitchers acquired from the Padres for Cease, had a 5.48 ERA in nine starts as a rookie before undergoing surgery in September related to a bone spur in his right elbow. From June 22 to July 21, Thorpe went 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA in five starts.
“You look at Jonathan Cannon, the year that he had, solidified himself as a major-league starter and someone that can be in our rotation,” Getz said. “We saw what Drew Thorpe was capable of doing prior to having to shut him down.”
Sean Burke had an impressive 1.42 ERA in four outings (three starts) after being called up in September. Davis Martin went 0-5 with a 4.32 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) as he returned from Tommy John surgery.
Another player involved in the Cease deal, Jairo Iriarte, could be in line for a larger role. And looking down the line, a pair of first-round picks will continue their navigation through the minor-league system.
“Jairo Iriarte, we brought him up later in the year in the bullpen,” Getz said. “He had a really good year at (Double-A) Birmingham and he’s going to compete for a roster spot come spring training.
“And then obviously (2024 first-round pick) Hagan Smith and (2022 first-rounder) Noah Schultz to supplement that group (in the future) is pretty exciting.”
3. What’s the plan behind the plate?
The Sox acquired catchers Korey Lee and Edgar Quero in 2023 trades with the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels, respectively.
Lee spent 2024 as the primary catcher for the Sox. Quero continued to make progress in the minors.
Getz said watching Quero and Lee working together “is going to be one of the highlights” at spring training.
Lee, 26, slashed .210/.244/.347 with 12 home runs and 37 RBIs in 2024. He had a .273 average in his first 42 games but hit just .180 in his final 83 games.
The 21-year-old Quero, ranked the No. 4 prospect in the organization by MLB.com, had a combined .280 average with 16 home runs and 70 RBIs in 98 games for Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte.
Getz called the Lee-Quero combo “a tandem that could really complement each other.”
“Korey (is a) very athletic catcher,” Getz said. “He can throw. He’s shown some offensive ability — I know it tapered it off a little bit, but early in the year he was able to be a fairly impactful offensive force, certainly at the catching position.
“And Edgar Quero has done nothing but hit throughout his career. A switch hitter and making strides defensively. I look forward to seeing those guys (at spring training) in Arizona.”
