Breaking: Yankees offers one of their favorite star and a significant sum of money to acquire White Sox most dominant starters.
It should come as no surprise that the New York Yankees will have to shell out a significant sum of money to acquire elite players before the deadline, but they may choose to go big-name fishing instead. As one of the most dominant starters in the American League, Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox was recently nominated to his first-ever All-Star team. Given his expensive price tag, this is not surprising. It’s not shocking, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that Chicago is “insistent” on having Spencer Jones in any kind of package for the star pitcher. This may mean the Yankees are exploring their options.
The Yankees were reportedly interested in the young left-hander, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. If they are successful in signing him, he might be a tremendous asset to this rotation.
To get Garrett Crochet, the Yankees would need to trade for Spencer Jones.
Despite being relatively green compared to most prospects his age, Spencer Jones has had a rough season in Double-A, and there are some worries about his swing-and-miss percentages. The 6’6″ outfielder has played in 73 Double-A games and has 10 home runs and a 104 wRC+, but he has a worrisome 37.1% strikeout rate—even worse than previous season. Jones is still getting adjusted to the Eastern League’s more competitive play, but the Yankees may not have an option if the Chicago White Sox find something they really like.
With his combination of cutter and fastball, Garrett Crochet has all the makings of an outstanding pitcher, one who can swing games in the postseason. With a 3.02 ERA and a 35.2% strikeout percentage through 20 starts, the left-hander offers the precise kind of whiff potential that the Yankees desperately need. Not only would he not be a reliever, but he would also be one of the Yankees’ best starters, and with good reason, considering his outstanding season-long performance.
Crochet’s fundamental numbers indicate that he should continue to improve. Although it’s commonly believed that having a two-pitch pitcher won’t help you pitch deep into games, his stuff is so explosive that it rarely matters. With Gerrit Cole, Garrett Crochet, and Luis Gil, he could form the most devastating top three in baseball. He just gets better the deeper he throws into games.
Based on their persistence, it appears like the Chicago White Sox really want Spencer Jones. We’ll see if there is any momentum on a possible transaction.
