REPORT: Phillies Reportedly Shut Down Deal For Frontline Starter

Brandon Marsh discussed his key hit and the importance of a first-round bye.

The Philadelphia Phillies are currently focused on the postseason, but once that concludes—whether successfully or not—their next major consideration will be how to shape the 2025 pitching rotation.

One potential contributor to that rotation could be Andrew Painter, though this wouldn’t have been the case if the Chicago White Sox had their way.

As reported by ESPN’s Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers in a piece titled “Inside the 2024 White Sox’s road to MLB’s all-time worst record,” Painter was a significant part of the White Sox’s trade deadline plans. Chris Getz’s front office requested that Painter be included in a deal for Garrett Crochet, but the Phillies declined the offer.

During discussions in late July regarding Crochet, there was a stipulation from Crochet’s representatives for a contract extension with any new team if he was to pitch in the postseason. The report indicated that several teams, including the Dodgers, Braves, and Phillies, continued to make offers even after that information was released.

 

 

While it could be argued that the Phillies were correct not to trade Painter for Crochet, it’s interesting to consider how the rotation might look with Crochet, especially with his postseason experience. He would likely replace Ranger Suárez in the lineup, but his recent performance (a 5.71 ERA in the second half) would have made his postseason potential less promising than during trade discussions.

Crochet still has two years of team control remaining, so the Phillies wouldn’t be trading away their top prospect for a rental player. However, the request for an extension, along with his limited starting experience—his first start was on Opening Day—made him a somewhat risky choice. It’s hard to part with a talent like Painter, especially considering his Tommy John history, for someone as uncertain as Crochet.

 

 

The Phillies may consider pursuing Crochet again in the future, either this offseason or next year’s trade deadline. A full workload in 2024 could prompt acquiring teams to seek that extension, boosting his trade value. Alternatively, if the extension demand falls away, his trade value might still rise. Consequently, Painter may remain essential for the White Sox in any negotiations involving Crochet with the Phillies, who may be more open to discussions this time. However, it seems likely that Dave Dombrowski and his team still view Painter as untouchable, as they did in July, and it’s hard to argue against that stance.