The New York Yankees may have to spend significantly to acquire top talent at the trade deadline, and they might be aiming for a big name. Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox, recently named to his first All-Star team, has been one of the most dominant starters in the American League, and his price tag reflects that. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Chicago is “insistent” on including Spencer Jones in any trade package for Crochet, suggesting the Yankees are considering this move.
Previously, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Yankees have a strong interest in the young left-hander, who could be a significant addition to their rotation.
### Yankees Might Have to Trade Spencer Jones for Garrett Crochet
Spencer Jones has had a challenging season in Double-A, showing promise but also concerns with his high swing-and-miss rates. The 6’6” outfielder has a 104 wRC+ and 10 home runs in 73 Double-A games but an alarming 37.1% strikeout rate, higher than last season. While Jones is still adjusting to tougher competition in the Eastern League, the White Sox might see potential in him that makes the Yankees’ decision difficult.
Garrett Crochet has the potential to be an ace, with a dominant fastball-cutter combination. In 20 starts, the left-hander has posted a 3.02 ERA and a 35.2% strikeout rate, providing the whiff potential the Yankees desperately need. Crochet would not join the team as a reliever but as one of their top starters, justified by his elite performance throughout the season.
The underlying metrics for Crochet suggest he should only get better. While being a two-pitch pitcher is often considered not great for your ability to pitch deep into games, his stuff is so electric it rarely matters. he only gets better the deeper he pitches into games, and there’s the potential to form the most lethal top three in baseball with Gerrit Cole, Garrett Crochet, and Luis Gil.
We’ll see if there’s any traction on a potential deal, but it seems the Chicago White Sox really like Spencer Jones based on their insistence.