White Sox DFA Only Struggling Prospect From Big Garrett Crochet Trade

Almost everyone from the White Sox' Garrett Crochet trade has become a key part of their future.

Jun 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez (66) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago White Sox made a quiet but notable minor league move this weekend.

Amid their major decision to bring up both Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal, the White Sox sent both Noah Schultz and David Sandlin back to Charlotte. Alongside that came some more tweaking in the Triple-A bullpen, with Wikelman González being shown the door.

Only 24 years old, it's a pretty surprising DFA for someone who earned some big league experience one year ago. The White Sox had him appear in 16 games, where he recorded a solid 2.66 ERA in 20.1 innings of action. He also had 25 strikeouts during these appearances, though he did combine that with 12 walks.

Nevertheless, the primary reason this news will catch the attention of White Sox fans is because of how the team originally got its hands on González. He was a part of the Garrett Crochet trade with the Boston Red Sox in 2024. And that deal has aged remarkably well for the White Sox.

Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, and Chase Meidroth were all sent to the White Sox in that transaction. In other words, González is now the only one who has failed to become part of their future plans. Will the White Sox still happily live with that outcome? Absolutely, but it's unfortunate that the one arm acquired in that deal failed to earn his spot.

White Sox Move On From Wikelman González

Sep 4, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez (66) throws to the Minnesota Twins in the seventh inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Injuries sure haven't helped, but Wikelman González has struggled to find his footing the past couple of seasons. He recorded a 4.93 ERA in 2025 between both Double-A and Triple-A. In Charlotte, he recorded nearly as many strikeouts (30) as walks (27) over his 33.0 innings.

Things only looked worse throughout 2026. In his 21 outings, González posted a 6.57 ERA with a career-worst 1.70 WHIP. While he did a slightly better job limiting the walks, González was giving up a concerning amount of contact in a relief role.

Even Spring Training proved to be rough for González this season, he appeared in only four games and gave up 3 earned runs. He was among the first set of pitchers optioned to Charlotte as the Opening Day battle continued. David Sandlin was sent to Charlotte at the same time, though he dealt with injuries throughout all of camp.

The good news for the White Sox is they have managed to stack up plenty of other big-name pitching prospects in recent years. While it always stings to have to give up on someone like González, the promotions for Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal remind us of all the talent that remains in the farm.