Why keeping Crochet might be the White Sox best play

This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin's White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- Garrett Crochet was an exceedingly popular White Sox figure throughout the 2024 season.

In fact, the left-hander was the primary success story -- if not the lone feel-good moment for the South Siders -- during a campaign in which they lost 121 games and set a single-season futility record during the Modern Era (since 1901). Crochet went from a reliever returning late in 2023 from injury rehab following 2022 Tommy John surgery to the 2024 American League Comeback Player of the Year during his first season as a starter.

Now he appeals just as much to the opposing teams he shut down so frequently. Contenders are trying to add the hard thrower, his 3.58 ERA over 32 starts covering 146 innings, his 209 strikeouts and his two years of arbitration control to enhance their own chances for a World Series title.

There was certainly interest at the 2024 Trade Deadline, with general manager Chris Getz listening to strong offers right down to the final hour. But with Crochet having this full year of success behind him and no innings restrictions moving forward (after throwing a total of 73 innings combined over his first three years in Chicago), that popularity has increased and broadened.

But here’s a team that should think about putting (or in this case, leaving) Crochet at the top of its rotation: the Chicago White Sox. I can almost picture the collective eye rolls from those reading this, maybe even from White Sox front-office members, but remember: It’s not easy replacing an ace regardless of the top young talent acquired.

Make no mistake that Crochet is an ace, and it’s not just his averaging 97.2 mph on his four-seam fastball (according to Statcast) or his overpowering pitch mix. There were countless times when Crochet sat and talked baseball with such younger starters as Jonathan Cannon, Drew Thorpe and Davis Martin, breaking down pitches they were throwing, what just transpired in their respective start or talking about Crochet’s mindset during his trips to the mound.

At 25, Crochet is young in his own right but has just over three years of service time and carries himself as a leader. These attributes remind me of the way Mark Buehrle, Chris Sale and Lucas Giolito comported themselves as rotation stalwarts. Crochet’s competitiveness and desire to be excellent are off the charts, and he’s a good talker, a completely honest interview, who could be the face of the franchise.

Let’s look at the other side of the potential trade equation. The White Sox are beginning Year 2 of another rebuild, and with the 2025 focus falling upon analyzing their young talent and where these players eventually need to improve or fill in, winning won’t be at the forefront. There’s a chance the White Sox won’t be truly competitive until ’27, at which point Crochet would be eligible for free agency.

Without a contract extension, the White Sox certainly must listen intently to the trade offers coming their way. The organization is farther along on the pitching side, so the return will center on position players, with the White Sox possibly looking for a Major League-ready player and one or two prospects ranked among a team’s Top 5.

Without Crochet, the White Sox have Cannon, Martin, Thorpe and Sean Burke as rotation options. Left-hander Noah Schultz, MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, has the makings of an elite big league hurler and could see the Majors by the end of the 2025 campaign. Fellow southpaw Hagen Smith, the team’s top pick in the 2024 Draft, No. 2 White Sox prospect and No. 30 overall, possesses a similar pedigree but has literally just begun his professional career.

It's understandable to see fans praising certain returns in mock Crochet trades on social media and scoffing at others. They wholeheartedly embraced the last rebuild, and despite being disappointed by the long-term results, they once again understand the team’s current rough situation with a hope for better days in the not-too-distant future. But think of Crochet working at the front of the pack of starters just mentioned.

Much like a good card player, if you have an ace, you really don’t want to discard it. Check out what Tarik Skubal did for a solid but not always spectacular Detroit team that ultimately reached the playoffs and won its Wild Card Series as a prime example.