White Sox' Garrett Crochet is an All-Star to build around, 'but there's a business side' to team-building
“Hey, now, you’re an All-Star.”
“Hey, now, you’re a [insert new team name here].”
Both would be musical reality for left-handed starter Garrett Crochet, 25, should the White Sox send him to another team before the trade deadline July 30.
After Crochet was named Sunday to pitch in the All-Star Game next Tuesday, a full day passed before he was asked about his name passing through the trade-rumor mill.
“Obviously, I pay attention to it,” Crochet said before the Sox’ 8-6 loss in 11 innings to the Twins on Monday night at Guaranteed Rate Field dropped them to 26-67. “I see it. I hear it all the time. But I’ve still got to perform.”
Manager Pedro Grifol, who in recent days has raved about Crochet’s rise from reliever to Opening Day starter to All-Star, heaped more praise on him Monday. If you’re thinking about trading a guy — and the Sox will trade Crochet only if they get a substantial haul in return — there’s no harm in talking him up.
“This is an indication for everybody in the game to take note of what makeup is all about,” Grifol said.
He, too, discussed the possibility of a trade.
“All 30 teams want Garrett Crochet, including the Chicago White Sox,” Grifol said. “But there’s a business side to all this. And I don’t think it’s good business to never check in. [It’s] not good business to shut those doors. It’s good business to open them. You have to see what it is, but that’s not my job. My job is here, and I’ll let those guys up there [in the front office decide].”
Garrett Crochet, talkin’ bout being an All-Star. pic.twitter.com/NIVvKUJkJv
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) July 8, 2024
Crochet said he remains focused on playing for his teammates and playing hard.
“A wise person told me, ‘Every time you take the mound, you’re playing for every team in the league,’ ” he said. “And that’s just the fact of the matter. You never know what can happen in this business.”
Where does he want to play?
“Out of my control,” he said.
Leasure routed in return
Rookie right-handed reliever Jordan Leasure was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte and, protecting a 5-2 lead against the Twins, was tagged for four runs in the seventh inning. Matt Wallner and Carlos Correa homered.
Right-handed pitcher Steven Wilson was optioned to Charlotte.
Leasure made the Opening Day roster but was sent to Charlotte on June 14 after posting a 4.08 ERA in 30 relief appearances.
“That was good for him to get a little break,” Grifol said. “He was pitching a lot and in leverage.”
He appeared in six games and allowed three runs over 5 1/3 innings at Charlotte.
Flex appeal
Right-hander Chris Flexen (4.95 ERA) pitched six innings of two-run ball, allowing seven hits and one walk while striking out four. That lowered Sox starting pitchers’ ERA to 3.20 since June 7.
Flexen exited leading 5-2 behind catcher Martin Maldonado’s second homer in three days and RBI from Corey Julks, Eloy Jimenez and Nicky Lopez. Lopez’s second RBI single knotted the score at 6 in the eighth.
Brooks Lee’s RBI single and Manuel Margot’s RBI ground out in the 11th against Jared Shuster (1-2) improved the Twins’ record to 8-0 against the Sox this season.
Pham scratched, Robert Jr. rested
A cracked tooth resulted in Tommy Pham being scratched from the lineup. Julks replaced Pham, who had been slotted for center field in place of the resting Luis Robert Jr. Robert entered in the sixth.