Orioles Would Be ‘Sensible’ to Target White Sox Starter at Deadline

Getty Garrett Crochet

Major League Baseball’s trade deadline is slated for July 30, and the hottest starting pitcher expected to be available this season is the Chicago White Sox‘s Garrett Crochet. While the White Sox are unlikely to have any shortage of teams interested in acquiring the starter, one team in particular would be “sensible” to make him a top target, according to USA Today’s Jesse Yomtov — the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles.

“Baltimore was bold and traded for Corbin Burnes in the offseason, signaling that the club isn’t afraid to part ways with young talent if the right deal comes along,” Yomtov wrote on June 29. “Crochet is under team control through 2026 and it’s going to take quite a package to land the 26-year-old lefty, who could theoretically join Grayson Rodriguez long-term atop the Orioles rotation.”

In 17 starts this season, Crochet is 6-6 with a 3.05 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 130 strikeouts in 94.1 innings. This is the left-hander’s first year in the starting rotation, having pitched out of the White Sox’s bullpen in 2020 and 2021 before missing the entire 2022 season to recover from Tommy John surgery. Crochet returned to the mound in 2023, posting a 3.55 ERA in 13 relief appearances.

On January 12, White Sox general manager Chris Getz told MLB.com’s Scott Merkin that Crochet was “preparing this season to be a starter,” and by the end of spring training, it was clear the transition from the bullpen had been successful. Crochet was named the White Sox’s Opening Day starting pitcher on March 18, and on May 15, he posted his 70th strikeout of the season, the most ever recorded by a White Sox pitcher in their first 10 career starts, per MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.

Orioles’ Injury Woes Make Acquiring Pitching Depth a Top Priority

The Orioles have dealt with more than a few injuries this season, as Yomtov pointed out in his June 29 article.

“Season-ending injuries to John Means, Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells devastated Baltimore’s pitching depth, so it certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see trades for multiple starters in the weeks to come,” Yomtov wrote.

On May 31, the Orioles announced that both Means and Wells would undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery to repair the UCL ligaments in their respective throwing arms. Less than a month later, the team announced Bradish would require the same surgery, ruling him out for the remainder of 2024. As if that wasn’t enough for the Orioles to deal with, Dean Kremer landed on the IL on May 24 with a right triceps strain, and despite hopes it wouldn’t be a long stint, he’s yet to return to the rotation.

This left the Orioles’ rotation with just newly-acquired ace Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, Cole Irvin, Albert Suárez (who, prior to this season, hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2017), and rookie Cade Povich, who made his major-league debut on June 6.

Despite being severely thinned by injuries, the Orioles’ starting rotation has a combined 3.29 ERA to rank second in MLB, only behind the Philadelphia Phillies (2.87 ERA). Still, with very little pitching depth left, hopes of a playoff campaign this season, and a recent five-game losing-streak giving cause for concern, acquiring at least one starter at the trade deadline is an obvious priority.

Orioles Would Need ‘Quite a Package’ to Acquire Crochet

With Crochet pegged to be the top starting pitcher available at this year’s deadline, the White Sox are likely to want and expect a lot from teams looking to acquire him. On June 29, Yomtov wrote that while “it’s going to take quite a package to land the 26-year-old lefty,” the Orioles have the resources to make it happen.

“There’s a case to be made for the Orioles to go for a couple of cheaper options, but their window is wide open and they have the capital to pull off a deal for the best starter available,” Yomtov explained.

As of June 29, the Orioles have a record of 52-30 (.634) this season, ranking them first in the AL East and third in MLB behind the Phillies and Cleveland Guardians. Last year, the Orioles finished the regular season with a 101-61 record (.623) to advance to the postseason, but were upset by the Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series.

With a high likelihood of advancing to the playoffs this season, either as a division winner or Wild Card team, the Orioles need to bolster their roster to avoid another early postseason exit. Adding another starter is essential, and with a World Series title potentially in reach, now may be the time to go all in on Crochet.