Crochet Trade Talks: Dodgers Position as Top Suitor

Garrett Crochet was a name that was heavily linked to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the lead up to the trade deadline this past season, and they appear to be among the teams involved to potentially acquire the Chicago White Sox ace during the winter.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes confirmed starting pitching is one of the team’s top priorities, and they have been connected to multiple top options thus far.

That could very well come in free agency, where the Dodgers certainly have the financial means to sign one of Corbin Burnes, Max Fried or Blake Snell.

But thanks to their drafting and development, that is not their only means of acquiring a front-line arm. According to Jim Bowden of the Athletic, the Dodgers are one of the top possibilities for a Crochet trade:

Every front office executive I’ve talked with believes Garrett Crochet will be traded before the end of this year, and they mention the Red Sox, Orioles and Dodgers as the most likely landing spots because all three have the young, everyday position players the White Sox want in return for the 25-year-old lefty, who has two more years of team control.

The White Sox have been open about their desire for position players as part of the return in any possible trade of Crochet.

By now, the White Sox should be very familiar with the prospects in the Dodgers farm system, both due to prior Crochet negotiations and their three-team trade at the deadline.

However, the Dodgers will have some still competition for Crochet between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Depending on how strongly each team covets Crochet, the Red Sox should have the edge in trade talks with the White Sox.

Boston has six top-100 prospects in their system according to MLB Pipeline, with three of them being in the top-10. All six are position players to boot.

The Dodgers have three position players in the top-100, none of which is better than No. 39. While the Orioles only have two prospects, but both are in the top-15.

Dodgers might have reverse stance for Garrett Crochet trade

In order to compete with the trade packages that could be put together by the Red Sox and Orioles, the Dodgers might have o surrender some of their top prospects like Dalton Rushing and others.

The White Sox reportedly desired Rushing and others during negotiations at the trade deadline, but the Dodgers refused.

Depending on how much the Dodgers want Crochet, they might have to give in slightly to the White Sox’s demands. However, that could also hinge on how much the Red Sox or Orioles are willing to give up as well.