Blockbuster Trade Proposal Sends Garrett Crochet to NL West in 5-Player Swap

The Los Angeles Dodgers spent more than $1 billion this past winter to make themselves a World Series contender. As the July 30 trade deadline approaches, they’re also expected to be one of MLB’s most active buyers. Could Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet be an option to fortify the pitching staff?

Jim Bowden of The Athletic shared seven hypothetical trades he’d like to see happen by the deadline. Here’s the deal he cooked up to send Crochet to Hollywood:

• Dodgers receive: left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet
• White Sox receive: right-handed pitcher Gavin Stone, outfielder Andy Pages, catching Dalton Rushing and left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris

“The Dodgers are actively seeking a difference-making starter for the postseason, with Crochet and [Tarik] Skubal at the top of their target list,” Bowden said. “They need to address their fragile rotation at the deadline and can put together a strong prospect package, starting with Stone. Crochet significantly enhances their chances in 2024 but also bolsters the top of their rotation, alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, for the next two years.”

Stone and Pages are currently on L.A.’s big-league roster. Rushing is the Dodgers’ top prospect, according to MLB.com. He’s in Double-A and could land in the majors in 2025. Ferris is the club’s sixth-best prospect. His estimated time of MLB arrival is 2026.

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Crochet Would Give Los Angeles’ Pitching Staff More Flexibility

Although Crochet made his big-league debut in 2020, he entered 2024 not having pitched more than 54.1 innings in a single season. He’s easily surpassed that number in what’s been an All-Star campaign. The left-hander is 6-7 with a 3.07 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 157 strikeouts in 111.1 innings pitched.

A significant rise in workload could mean his outings get limited down the stretch of the regular season. If that happens, his presence would still be helpful for the Dodgers because he has prior experience as a reliever. So, he could make an impact out of the bullpen in October if there’s concern about his innings count.

And as Bowden mentioned, acquiring Crochet comes with a long-term mindset based on his contract situation. According to Spotrac, he’s earning $800,000 in 2024 and is under team control through 2026.

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Dodgers Are Trying to Get More Than Just Crochet From Chicago

Crochet has been a popular target over the past few weeks. However, he’s not the only White Sox player who could be on the move. The southpaw is also just one of several the Dodgers are trying to acquire from Chicago, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.

“The Los Angeles Dodgers have spoken to the White Sox about a blockbuster that would include Crochet, center fielder Luis Robert and perhaps reliever Michael Kopech, too,” he said on July 21.

If L.A. could find a way to pull off a massive trade like this, it would take a huge package of players going the other way to Chicago. The Dodgers are one of the few organizations with the type of minor-league depth to make it happen, though. At the start of the 2024 regular season, MLB.com ranked the Dodgers as having baseball’s eighth-best farm system.

It only makes sense for Los Angeles to remain aggressive before the deadline following a winter full of making marquee moves. Now, it’ll likely just be a matter of which players they can land before the deadline passes and if any come from the White Sox.

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