Crochet solid in abbreviated outing as Trade Deadline creeps closer

ARLINGTON -- Garrett Crochet has heard the trade rumors for weeks now, but he’s still on the White Sox and still in their rotation.

“Who knows what’s going to happen?” Crochet said following his start Tuesday night. “We may all still be here in a week and it’s going to seem like we had all these conversations for no reason.”

Well, the conversations surrounding Crochet are only going to continue growing in the coming days with the July 30 Trade Deadline quickly approaching. He did nothing to hurt his stock in his first start of the second half, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts over four innings in a 3-2 loss to the Rangers.

The shortened start was planned as the White Sox wanted to monitor Crochet’s workload coming off an extended break. He threw just two innings and 28 pitches in his final start of the first half against the Pirates on July 12, and then threw an 18-pitch scoreless inning in the All-Star Game on July 16.

Crochet threw 74 pitches, 49 for strikes, in his start on Tuesday. He said he feels good physically, saying the benefits of the workload management will likely be seen at the end of the year instead of midseason.

“Body’s been feeling good, recovery has been good,” Crochet said. “So, when I’m approached with information that it’s going to be a shortened start, I’m just going to take it in stride and keep competing the way that I have been all season.”

Crochet said there have been conversations with the organization on the best way to get through the season healthy. It’s somewhat of an unknown path considering Crochet has already thrown far more innings this season compared to his entire career total. After Tuesday’s start, he has thrown 111 1/3 innings. The most innings he’s thrown in a professional season before was 54 1/3 innings in 2021.

“We’re all trying to get on the same page and execute a plan,” he said. “Tonight that was the plan.”

Crochet felt Tuesday was a “special circumstance” given the extended break and shortened outings in his final start of the first half and his appearance in the All-Star Game. He plans to rebuild back up into a normal starting workload going forward.

Manager Pedro Grifol was pleased with the way Crochet handled the outing. The Rangers scored both runs off Crochet in the first inning, including one on a double steal in which Josh Smith stole home. But Crochet settled down after that.

He closed with three scoreless innings, retiring 10 of the final 13 batters he faced.

“Overall, could he have gone a little bit further? Sure, but he had a pretty long break,” Grifol said. “So, you know, this is a good start for him in the second half. And we’ll see where we take it from there.”

That may be another team’s decision to make, of course, if Crochet is traded. This is a player who would be considered one of the prizes of the Deadline as he is under control for two more years. He is leading the American League with 157 strikeouts and Tuesday also marked his fifth straight start in which he’s allowed two or fewer runs.

Asked if his mindset about the Trade Deadline has changed since it’s the final week, Crochet said: “Not so much. It’s definitely something I’m aware of as the Deadline approaches, but [it's] out of my control. Once the Trade Deadline comes and goes, whatever happens happens.”

Outside of Crochet’s performance, the other storyline from the night was the White Sox continued struggles on the offensive side. Chicago has scored four runs or fewer in 14 of the past 15 games, hitting just .185 with runners in scoring position during that stretch. They were 1-for-6 with RISP against Rangers starter Jon Gray on Tuesday.

Andrew Vaughn produced the hit with an RBI single in the third. Then, with the Rangers leading 3-1 in the ninth, the White Sox pulled to within one run on a solo home run by Andrew Benintendi. However, that was as close as they’d get as they fell to 8-21 in one-run games.

“Another tough loss,” Grifol said.