Despite months of trading speculation Garrett Crochet was not moved at the deadline. His contract status seemed to be a major reason. A few days before the deadline, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that Crochet had sought an extension if he wanted to pitch in the postseason. Whether he would have simply refused to play in October if he had landed with a contender is not clear. Crochet did not have the power to force a team to sign him long-term.

At the same time, Crochet’s stance complicated the White Sox’s efforts to find a package they felt was worthwhile. GM Chris Getz seemed surprised by the public revelation of Crochet’s desire to extend his contract (link via Scott Merkin of MLB.com). While Getz insisted the relationship between the player and the team was still strong, he said the way the situation was handled was “a little bit hurtful … considering I felt like we could have handled it a little bit differently.”

The Sox continued to discuss Crochet until the July 30 deadline. No deal was made. Only the White Sox know if this is due to the delay in the contract extension. In any case, he will finish the year in Chicago. Crochet could be the most popular transfer candidate of the coming offseason. It is very unlikely that the Sox will be competitive in the next two seasons. Chicago should try to move Crochet this winter.

They may not even need to push for a contract extension to do so. Crochet’s desire for a long-term deal was tied to his workload reaching levels he hadn’t reached in college or the minor leagues. His camp was concerned about the health of his arm if he pitched into October. That’s not the case with the White Sox, who can reduce his workload to keep him on the field. They already are. Crochet hasn’t thrown more than four innings in a game since early July. That’s not a question of performance in general, but a clear goal to avoid stressing his arm. Chicago pulled him from the game yesterday after 57 pitches and four innings with one run and four strikeouts.

While an extension is not essential to making a trade possible, Crochet is likely still willing to talk about a long-term deal. That is unlikely for the White Sox, who are at the nadir of a rebuild and have never guaranteed more than $75 million to a player (the ill-fated Andrew Benintendi Deal). If a competitor wanted to extend Crochet – either as a condition of a trade or simply after the acquisition – what price could it demand?

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