The New York Yankees currently have a record of 60-44 and trail the Baltimore Orioles by just one and a half games in the American League East. A recent slump of 10-22 has exposed some weaknesses in the team, but they have the opportunity to bolster their roster before the July 30 trade deadline. Jim Bowden of The Athletic has suggested a trade that would send Luis Gil and other players to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Garrett Crochet.
Bowden proposed this trade package that brings Crochet to the Bronx:
- Yankees receive: left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet
- White Sox receive: right-handed pitcher Luis Gil, outfielder Spencer Jones and right-handed pitcher Will Warren
Bowden wrote, “Gil would immediately join the White Sox’s rotation. Meanwhile, Jones, who is 23, could become a key player in Chicago’s lineup for years to come. He has the potential for 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the future, but his batting needs improvement due to his high strikeout rate and some gaps in his plate discipline. This is the kind of trade that Cashman usually avoids because he is reluctant to part with his top prospects, but acquiring Crochet would require making such a deal.”
Yankees Parting With Spencer Jones and Luis Gil in Proposal
According to MLB Pipeline, Jones is ranked as the organization’s No. 2 prospect, while Jasson Domínguez, the top prospect, made his debut last season but is currently sidelined with injuries. ESPN’s Jeff Passan mentioned that while the likelihood of either being traded is low, it’s not completely impossible. Jones, who is playing in Double-A, has a batting line of .236/.319/.403. USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale reported that the Yankees are open to including Jones in a trade for either White Sox ace Garrett Crochet or Tigers Cy Young contender Tarik Skubal.
Gil had a 2.03 ERA in his 14 starts. However, he has a 6.26 ERA in his last six starts. Gil leads MLB in walks this season. He is having his best season as a big leaguer with a 3.10 ERA. He has reached a career-high in innings at 107 1/3. His usage could be a concern later in the season as a result.
Warren, the Yankees’ No. 7 prospect, has posted a 6.11 ERA in 20 Triple-A starts this season. Including him in the trade would mean sending two top 10 prospects to the Chicago White Sox. With Crochet being arbitration-eligible for the next two seasons, he would be a part of the Yankees’ short-term plans, at the very least.
Crochet’s Trade Market
The White Sox, holding the worst record in baseball, are firmly positioned as sellers this trade season. However, dealing Crochet might be more complex than anticipated. According to The Athletic’s MLB staff, 2024 was Crochet’s first year as a starter, and there are concerns about his ability to sustain a full starter’s workload over an entire season. Despite this, Crochet prefers to maintain a starter’s routine, believing that this approach would be most beneficial for his long-term health, as noted by The Athletic’s staff.
“Some potential buyers are aware that Crochet is currently uninterested in becoming a high-leverage reliever or taking on a hybrid role, unless the acquiring team is willing to assume that risk and offer him a long-term contract extension,” according to The Athletic’s staff.
The desire for a contract extension represents a significant additional challenge in trading for Crochet, on top of concerns about his innings pitched.
“The issue with this scenario is that a team would essentially be compelled to offer Crochet an extension without certainty about his ability to pitch effectively in October or perform well in a new role,” The Athletic’s staff noted.
Despite these challenges, Crochet’s trade potential may still be appealing. He was named an All-Star this season, boasting a 3.07 ERA. He leads the American League in strikeouts and tops MLB in strikeouts per nine innings.
