MLB insider reveals key detail that derailed Garrett Crochet trade and recently hurt Dodgers

The Dodgers aren't likely to let any hard feelings about missing out on Garrett Crochet go anytime soon. He was their white whale at the trade deadline, and the team had been gunning for him weeks before. Even a threat that he wouldn't pitch in the postseason without a contract extension didn't deter the Dodgers. However, as the clock ticked down to the deadline's hard stop at 3 PM on July 30, it became clear that Crochet wouldn't be going anywhere.

LA pivoted, getting hometown kid Jack Flaherty from the Tigers instead. Flaherty was still a great get, but he probably would've ended up just a nice cherry on top of a Crochet sundae if they Dodgers had managed to get both.

Adding to the confusion, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported in a sort of trade deadline postmortem that the Dodgers were still engaged in talks with the White Sox in the final hour before the deadline (subscription required). The Phillies were in during the final 24 hours, but it was the Dodgers who could've been the ones to get the deal over the line.

And, in a pretty awful twist of fate for the Dodgers that probably led to a sigh of relief for the White Sox, Rosenthal reported that LA had offered River Ryan, but Chicago said no because they were concerned about shoulder soreness that kept him out of the first two months of the season.

Of course, they were right to be worried about his fragility. Ryan went down on Sunday with a strained UCL and will undergo Tommy John.

Ken Rosenthal dropped a few bombshell insights on the Dodgers' chase for Garrett Crochet at the trade deadline

Also interesting: although Crochet was widely expected to procure a haul of top prospects for the White Sox if traded, Rosenthal reported the Dodgers did not offer their No. 1 prospect Dalton Rushing, who seemed to outsiders like just a starting point for any talks to go forward.

The Phillies also didn't offer their No. 2 prospect (who was ranked No. 1 by MLB Pipeline before the recent re-ranks), Double-A pitcher Andrew Painter, and were unable to make a deal happen.

This has interesting implications for Rushing's future with the Dodgers. Not only is it confirmed that the Dodgers seemed unwilling to give him up at the deadline, but they also just moved him to the outfield permanently upon his promotion to Triple-A, which already hinted that he fits into LA's long-term picture and that they'd find a way to get him to the majors in Dodger Blue.

So if the Dodgers do try again in the offseason — and all signs point to yes, they will — they're really going to have to dig in order to find a deal that will sway the White Sox. If they're not willing to give up their No. 1 prospect, and Ryan, who intrigued Chicago, might be out for all of 2025 after Tommy John, they really might have to send the entire farm in order to get this guy.