Dodgers Are ‘Potential’ Trade Fit for Projected $3 Million Ace With 200-K Upside

Getty The Dodgers will have to once again add to their starting rotation this winter. Will they try to land Garrett Crochet from the White Sox?

The Los Angeles Dodgers spent more than $1 billion in future payroll commitments last winter. Several additions were made to the rotation, but they’ve still had bullpen games at various times in October. Could they look to reload their starting staff this winter by targeting Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet?

Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer singled out one player from every MLB team who he thinks will most likely get traded this winter. He picked Crochet for the White Sox and had the Dodgers as one of three potential trade destinations.

“He’s [Crochet] a hugely valuable asset, as he’s an All-Star who’s only 25 and under club control through 2026,” he said. “And after a 121-loss season, the White Sox need prospects a lot more than they need an ace pitcher.”

Crochet didn’t get traded in July because he threatened to sit out the postseason if he wasn’t awarded an extension with his new team. Between 2020 and 2023, the southpaw tossed just 73 innings. This included missing all of 2022 with an injury. He finished 2024 with a career-high 146 innings pitched while earning $800,000.

A Closer Look at Garrett Crochet’s Contract Situation

Outside of his recent production and age (he’ll be 26 in June), Crochet has been an attractive trade candidate because of his contract situation. His arbitration estimate for 2025 is $2.9 million. That’s quite a raise from his 2024 salary, but it’s still a tremendous bargain when considering his production this past season.

This will only be his second-to-last year of arbitration, as well. Crochet is under team control through the end of 2026. That will allow the White Sox to put a high price on his services in negotiations this winter. They did something similar last offseason with Dylan Cease before trading him to the San Diego Padres.

Teams in the running should also think about the potential of a long-term future with Crochet – especially if they give up several prospects to land him. Spotrac has set his market value at six years and $130 million.

Garrett Crochet Would Be a Huge Addition to the Dodgers

The Dodgers will get pitchers back for their 2025 rotation, but it’ll include many returning from injuries. Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin and Clayton Kershaw are all finishing 2024 on the injured list. Shohei Ohtani should be ready to pitch after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2023. Dustin May also underwent flexor tendon surgery in July and Gavin Stone had shoulder surgery in October.

Adding someone like Crochet would be huge for a couple of reasons. While he prefers to start, he has experience pitching in the rotation and the bullpen. His first full season as a starter also couldn’t have gone better. That’s especially the case since he entered 2024 having thrown just 12.2 big-league innings from 2022-23.

The southpaw compiled 146 innings through 32 starts. He went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 209 strikeouts. When splitting his year down the middle, it looks like he struggled mightily after the All-Star break. Crochet posted a 3.02 ERA before the midsummer classic. That number jumped to 5.12 down the stretch.

However, it’s worth noting that he finished the year strong. After posting a 4.85 ERA in July and a 6.91 ERA in August, Crochet’s ERA settled in at 3.12 over his final 17.1 innings in September.