Chris Getz, the Chicago White Sox’s general manager, is projected to be busy this summer, with many players available for trade soon. Per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the White Sox will be “open for business” at the deadline. Despite a disappointing season, the White Sox have several big-name players with contracts ending and will be looking for new homes. This is the start of the rebuild stage for the White Sox.
The White Sox are reportedly “open for business” and willing to trade everyone including Luis Robert Jr. and Garrett Crochet.https://t.co/1IftScaClD
— Mike (@ChiSoxFanMike) June 4, 2024
White Sox to be “Open for Business” at Trade Deadline
Player Talks With the White Sox
The White Sox are the worst team in baseball right now. They have veterans such as Garrett Crochet, Luis Robert Jr., and Erick Fedde, each of whom Chicago is open to accepting offers for. Fedde, Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong, Mike Clevinger, John Brebbia, and Tim Hill have not signed long-term contracts with the White Sox. Fedde is signed through 2025, but the others will enter the free-agent market this winter.
The San Diego Padres have already expressed interest in the lefty Crochet. He has a unique pitching delivery with his leg kick, which certainly has given him more power in his execution. But with Crochet and Robert, nothing is set in stone yet. Since his successive rough starts in April, Crochet has improved and has been crushing it. He’s showcased his resilience and has stood out as one of baseball’s strongest pitchers, making him an appealing trade chip for the White Sox. He recorded a 1.35 ERA with a 53-to-7 K/BB ratio over his past 40 innings.
Rebuild Stage
The White Sox are currently in rebuild mode, testing the waters and keeping an open mind on everything. In Robert’s case, he’s signed until the 2027 season. This goes with a $12.5 million salary this season and a $15 million salary in 2025. There are also a couple of club options, both of which are $20 million. Both have the option of a $2 million buyout as well. Crochet came into the 2024 season with three years of MLB experience. So, he will be entering his very first arbitration season. But he still has another couple of seasons of club control going past 2024. It is significant to pay close attention to the notion that the Sox are open to offers and are also open to the idea of trading both players.
However, whether or not they actually shop these players is another topic of discussion. They have settled on the fact that they are going in with a tentative plan. But this objective approach doesn’t mean anything is set in stone. The amount of control leaning past this season is quite big. GM Chris Getz will set the bar high with the asking prices for both players. Both are projected to gain high trade value going into the offseason. This could even extend into the following season’s trade deadline if a deal isn’t made this summer.
What’s Next?
If Getz and the White Sox indeed decide to make both players available, expect a bidding war. The Sox could truly repair the whole farm system with these two appealing possible trades. It will require a bundle of prospects to inquire about either player from the Sox. Furthermore, with extensive indifference filtering across the National League, and likely only a few teams willing to genuinely embark and wave the white flag on the 2024 season, it’s looking like it could be a seller’s market. The phrase “white flag trade” refers to when other teams opt to rebuild with the idea of surrendering future free agents for nothing. While there is no chance of saving this rough season for the Southside, getting one or even both trades in the right direction could boost their intention to rebuild.
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