Garrett Crochet angering White Sox GM gives Dodgers better chance to steal him

Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet is arguably the top available pitcher on the market ahead of the MLB trade deadline, and the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to be the team in the best position to acquire him.

For starters, the Dodgers might be the only team that can afford Chicago's (understandably) high asking price for Crochet. The flame-throwing lefty boasts a 3.07 ERA and .970 WHIP through 111.1 innings and 21 starts this season. Pitchers of Crochet's caliber don't become available often; at just 25 years old with multiple years of team control over his contract, he's as valuable as they come.

Crochet threw a proverbial curveball into the mix, though, when he reportedly told teams he would refuse to pitch in the playoffs unless he gets a contract extension. He also made it clear that he has no desire to pitch out of the bullpen and wants to remain on a starter's routine. According to ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan, the development "stunned GMs around the game" and drastically altered market for Crochet's services.

One of the GMs Crochet stunned with this declaration was his own. Speaking to the media Monday, White Sox GM Chris Getz expressed disappointment in Crochet's "tactics" ahead of the deadline.

“The communication had been very strong between Garrett and I and his agency," Getz said (via Jesse Rogers of ESPN). "I was a little surprised and taken aback by how they went about it, considering I had a conversation with his agent the night before. That’s not exactly the tactic I would have taken, being a former player.”

Garrett Crochet angering White Sox GM gives Dodgers better chance to steal him

After pulling off a three-team trade with the Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, Getz said he thinks the White Sox will continue to be active before the deadline. Whether that includes Crochet remains to be seen, but it's hard to imagine they don't move him now.

The Dodgers are still in play for Crochet, according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, and they have less than 24 hours to swoop in and grab him. Their biggest competitors in the Crochet sweepstakes are likely the Baltimore Orioles, who are also reportedly looking for an impact arm, but several other teams have also expressed interest.

Even though Crochet comes with some health concerns – he had Tommy John surgery in 2022 – offering him the long-term security he's seeking is a risk worth taking. The Dodgers are not only the most financially-equipped team to withstand the risk; they are arguably the team that stands to benefit most from the reward.

More Dodgers content from Dodgers Way