The New York Yankees lack whatever it is that the Chicago White Sox are hoping to acquire in exchange for Garrett Crochet.
The Yankees were informed they “don’t match up” when they enquired about the All-Star pitcher, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network.
When ESPN’s Jesse Rogers revealed last week that Crochet needs a contract extension from any team that trades for him in order to pitch in the postseason this year, that completely threw off the trade market.
Rogers said that Crochet’s camp was letting interested teams know he didn’t want to close games out of the bullpen or participate in the postseason.
The number of innings crocheted has been a contentious issue in the run-up to the trade deadline. After throwing just 73 innings in the previous four years combined—including missing all of 2022 due to Tommy John surgery—he has already thrown 114.1 innings this season.
Because of a hypothetical innings cap, it’s even unclear if Crochet would be allowed to pitch in the postseason, which would deter teams hoping to win in 2024 from pursuing him.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, two weeks prior, the White Sox requested a “exorbitant” amount in trade negotiations for Crochet, citing the possibility that his worth would never rise again.
The White Sox are correct to demand a high price for Crochet, especially in light of the Monday return the Toronto Blue Jays received from the Houston Astros in exchange for Yusei Kikuchi. After 2026, the 25-year-old will be under team control for two more years before becoming a free agent.
Crochet has been a significant bright spot for the White Sox during a historically poor season. He leads the AL in strikeouts (160), is tied for the league lead in starts (22) and has an ERA (3.23) that puts him in 12th place in the AL.
