White Sox unhappy after star Garrett Crochet over trade demands

A monkey wrench in the Garrett Crochet trade sweepstakes

Garrett Crochet’s representation has thrown a curveball into the trade discussions by revealing load management rules and an extension demand for any potential acquiring team at the trade deadline.

The White Sox were caught off guard by this information and are reportedly furious with Crochet’s management, fearing that it may have negatively impacted his trade value.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, “Teams who wanted to trade for Crochet… now are having second thoughts whether they should bother acquiring him if he’s going to shut it down.”

Despite being under team control for two more years and providing cost-controlled benefit to acquiring teams, Crochet’s request for an extension could negate the financial advantage of trading for him.

This move by Crochet’s management team, CAA, is reminiscent of the situation with Matt Harvey in 2015 when his agent looked to limit his innings.

Chicago is frustrated as some acquiring teams may now have hesitancy trading for Crochet with the uncertainty of his availability down the stretch.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, an anonymous general manager questioned, “Why would I want to get a guy who doesn’t want to pitch in the playoffs?”

Potential trade market for Crochet

Crochet was expected to have a robust trade market ahead of the deadline, with teams like the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and Brewers showing interest.

The Post’s Joel Sherman reported that the Dodgers are in the best position to acquire Crochet if a trade were to happen.

Crochet leads the American League in strikeouts and is a Cy Young candidate in his first full season as a starter, boasting a 6-8 record with a 3.23 ERA in 114 1/3 innings.