MLB Trades: Ranking the Top 10 Starting Pitchers Likely to be Available at the MLB Trade Deadline
MLB Trades: Ranking the Top 10 Starting Pitchers Likely to be Available at the MLB Trade Deadline
With the first half of the season out of the way, we're starting to figure out who the contenders will be and who the pretenders will be.
The pretenders will ultimately sell off their team at the trade deadline to bring in new prospects for a potential rebuild.
Here are the top 10 starters who could be on the move in less than a month.
Top 10 Starting Pitchers Likely to be Available at the Trade Deadline
1. Luis Castillo (Reds)
Luis Castillo is the top pitcher on every team's board right now. He's thrown in 13 games this season and has a 2.77 ERA with a WHIP of 1.08. This is incredible considering he had a 3.98 ERA last season with a WHIP of 1.36.
Castillo is a ground ball pitcher who is now earning over a strikeout per inning. Teams want him badly.
2. Frankie Montas (Athletics)
Montas has a 3-9 record on the season but also has a 3.26 ERA on the year. His WHIP is the lowest it's been in his career and he's already thrown in 17 games this season.
He'd be a terrific addition to many starting rotations down the stretch.
3. Pablo Lopez (Marlins)
The right-hander has a 6-4 record with a 2.86 ERA on the season. The Marlins might not actually trade Lopez by the deadline, but knowing how much talent the Marlins have in the starting rotation, it wouldn't be out of the blue if they traded him.
He's improved every single season but has slowed down a bit as the season has gone on. Could he be fatiguing? Will the Marlins trade him at the perfect time? Time will tell. But he's got a 2.86 ERA in 18 starts. He would be a great fit for many teams.
4. Martin Perez (Rangers)
Perez signed a one-year deal with the Rangers for $4 million and has easily been the best pitcher on their roster.
As of now, the Rangers aren't close to making the playoffs. If that continues, the Rangers would be silly to not entertain offers for Perez.
5. Tyler Mahle (Reds)
Mahle struggled a ton to start the season but has since pitched much better than his 6.45 ERA in April and 4.88 ERA in May.
He won't be a package deal with Castillo and he'll likely have to wait for Castillo to leave before he's dealt.
He's also currently injured but should be back over the weekend.
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6. Kyle Freeland (Rockies)
Would the Rockies really trade Freeland, who just signed a five-year $64.5 million contract?
Yes, they would. They're the Rockies. But last year, the Rockies wouldn't even trade Trevor Story and Jon Gray, so who knows at this point.
Freeland has a 3.88 ERA away from Coors Field, so teams would like him if available.
7. Madison Bumgarner (Diamondbacks)
Did you know that Bumgarner is only 32 years old? It seems like he's 40. Maybe it's just me.
Anyway, he has a 3.83 ERA on the season, despite a 1.40 WHIP. I'm not sure if he can sustain success but an extra veteran lefty in a postseason run never hurts.
If all other options fail, Bumgarner isn't terrible.
8. Merrill Kelly (Diamondbacks)
I don't think Arizona will get rid of Bumgarner and Kelly. I think they'd rather keep Kelly. He has nine wins on the season with a Diamondbacks team that has a losing record. That's impressive. He's also holding a 3.26 ERA on the season and has a WHIP of 1.21. He's clearly better than Bumgarner, but probably a long shot to get traded, which is why he's ranked lower.
9. Kyle Hendricks (Cubs)
The Cubs moved on from a whole lot of players last season. Now, it might be time to move on from Kyle Hendricks. Hendricks has another year on his contract after this year but the experience that he has pitched in big games is something most of the other guys don't have.
10. Jose Quintana (Pirates)
The Pirates' lefty has an ERA below four with a WHIP of 1.34. He's nothing special but Quintana is a veteran that used to have a lot of strikeout potential. I think he would end up being a bullpen chip for many teams. But that could allow him to earn more strikeouts. So that's something to consider.
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Jason grew up an avid sports fan. His passion for sports writing grew in high school and he developed a blog that was strictly for New York Sports. From his work, you will quickly realize that he loves looking at games from an analytical and numbers perspective and hopes to provide you with that same perspective in his articles.