The White Sox were nowhere near the playoffs this season, as they were the first team eliminated from playoff contention in the major leagues. However, the World Series matchup and the way that the other series played out will be a huge benefit to the White Sox this offseason.
As Ryan McGuffey points out, the Orioles getting swept can make them desperate enough to make a move that could push them over the top. This now marks two seasons in which the Orioles were World Series contenders, but were swept in the first round. If they are serious about making a run, something needs to change. Garrett Crochet or Luis Robert Jr. could be the move they need.
However, it is more than just the Orioles that will now be desperate for a trade, as the World Series matchup features two of the top five payrolls in all of baseball. Small market teams know that they aren’t going to be able to spend like the Dodgers or the Yankees, so they will have to result to the trade market to get superstars who aren’t paid 30+ million a year.
Luckily for those teams, the White Sox are open for business, as it is no secret that they want to trade Garrett Crochet. And for the White Sox, everyone needs more pitching, so they are bound to find a deal.
As of right now, Spotrac estimates that in arbitration, Garrett Crochet will earn 2.9 million dollars. That is chump change and every single franchise can afford that contract. On top of that, he will have an extra year of team control, making him even more valuable.
2.9 million dollars for a frontline starter is absolutely insane, and every single small market team who wants to compete with the Yankees, Dodgers, Mets, etc. will be making a call to Chris Getz to try and acquire him.
Teams in the playoffs this year that missed out on advancing in the playoffs that now could be pushed to make a deal include the Brewers, Padres, and even all of the AL Central teams. It would cost them significantly more in a trade, but they may be inclined to do it.
On top of that, other teams that were competitive but just missed the playoffs like the Rays, or potentially even the Reds could come calling, as they are smaller market teams that could use an ace like Crochet.
The fact that two of the highest spending teams are in the World Series will motivate these other teams to try and build a team that can take them down for a fraction of the payroll. This is huge for the White Sox, as they have a few players that could help out other teams and are on affordable deals.
This offseason is huge for the White Sox, and while they won’t be active on the free agent market, they will likely be very active on the trade market, and the way the playoffs shaped up is a huge boost for them in the seller’s market.
