Should Orioles outbid Padres in trade push for White Sox ace?

It's barely June, but MLB trade season is officially underway. Over the next several weeks, baseball fans will be glued to their social media feeds trying to decipher which way their favorite team is leaning — buyer or seller?

If you're a Baltimore Orioles fan, you're in luck. Your team will be buying at this year's trade deadline. And if there's no team in Major League Baseball with more tradable assets than the O's this summer. Baltimore played the long game last year, but the 2024 season is their opportunity to make some noise and perhaps win the American League pennant.

One player to keep an eye on at the trade deadline is Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet. A former first-round pick, Crochet has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season, and with the South Siders looking to sell this summer, current rumors indicate that Crochet could be had ... for the right price.

In fact, there's already one team stepping up to the plate. The San Diego Padres, according to The Athletic, are rumored to be kicking the tires on a potential deal for Crochet. The Friars already pulled off a blockbuster for White Sox starter Dylan Cease earlier this year, and it appears as though they're looking to reunite him with his former teammate. Should the O's get involved in the bidding?

Should Orioles outbid Padres in trade push for White Sox ace?

Given the injuries to the Orioles' starters, the impending free agency of Corbin Burnes, and Baltimore's desire to win a World Series, making a play for Crochet makes all the sense in the world. And if it's a bidding war between the Orioles and the Padres, Baltimore has much more to offer Chicago in terms of prospect capital.

At some point, the O's have to cash in their chips. While Burnes is free agent after this season, Crochet still has two years of team control after 2024 and doesn't reach free agency until after the 2026 season. That alone is reason enough to attempt to make a deal with the White Sox, but the deal will be rather costly.

But with Baltimore's glut of talent — both on the active roster and in the farm system — they can get a deal done. If it take two to three of the O's top prospects in order to get two-plus seasons of Crochet, Mike Elias needs to pull the trigger.

While it's always nice to stockpile top talent down in the minors for a rainy day, the O's rotation needs a boost. Though Burnes, Kyle Bradish, and Grayson Rodriguez have all looked the part this season, having another arm like Crochet would be a tremendous asset in a seven-game postseason series.

If the Padres are looking to make a move, it may be time for Elias to pick up the phone and give White Sox GM Chris Getz a call. Rotation depth will be key down the stretch for the Orioles in 2024 and Crochet would definitely provide that.

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