Dodgers: Predicting potential upcoming trade targets near deadline
The Dodgers have the best record in the National league right now but may look to make a move before the trade deadline. While the team is loaded with weapons, the front office may look to add an elite right-handed arm to the rotation.
The Dodgers are one of the best teams in all of baseball right now. And while most teams would be satisfied with the lineup they have, the front office might have a different opinion. There have been trade rumors all around baseball that feature the Dodgers, especially after losing Julio Urias for a year.
While he may not have been a big part of the first half of the season, Urias was almost certainly destined for a spot in the eventual playoff rotation. Now that he is no longer an option, the team may look at the trade market to find a back-end starter to help take them to the World Series.
With all of the talent within the organization, don’t be surprised to see the Dodgers take a run at an elite starter as well. Typically a team will use a four-man rotation in playoff scenarios, and the only proven starters this year are Kershaw, Wood, and McCarthy.
Might we see another ace on the staff come July? Late last month, our own Sunit Bhakta gave us a few creative options for potential starting pitching. Those options were Yu Darvish, Gerrit Cole, and Jake Odorizzi.
With the Rays only 2.5 games out of first, Odorizzi seems to be a less likely trade target for Los Angeles. Tampa Bay isn’t quite ready to become deadline sellers, so that takes him out of the equation. The Rangers are 13 games out of their division, and yet only 1.5 out of the wild card race. So Yu Darvish is also more than likely off of the table for the time being.
The Pirates, on the other hand, are having a less than successful year thus far. The team lost one of their stud outfielders to a lengthy suspension for the use of performance-enhancing drugs early on in the season. And even though Starling Marte is scheduled to come back mid-July, Pittsburgh is five games out of their division and 11 games out of the wildcard. It seems as though 2017 is the ideal scenario to begin their rebuild process, and they could start that with a trade of Cole.
Gerrit Cole
So what are the benefits? Well looking at it from a statistical perspective, Cole has had a less than stellar year. He’s sitting at a +4 ERA, and opposing batters are hitting over .250. But, Cole has so much potential, especially at just 26-years-old. He owns a career 3.36 earned run average, and won’t be arbitration eligible until next year, so he can’t become a free agent until 2020.
Cole would also represent a considerable upgrade from the Dodgers’ Kenta Maeda, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Rich Hill. Those three have combined for a 4.36 ERA and only combine for roughly five innings per start. To be fair, they have looked better recently, but still. Gerrit Cole, on the other hand, is averaging about six innings a start and has been a workhorse when healthy.
What would Los Angeles have to give up? The package needed to land Cole would have to be considerable since Pittsburgh has not yet begun selling off their talent to rebuild. It would more than likely take a combination of two top 10 prospects, along with a decent amount of cash going to the Pirates.
Looking at their lineup, a player like Alex Verdugo would probably be the centerpiece of the trade. A trade of Verdugo would also help to balance the future Dodger lineup, which projects to be heavily left-handed over the next three to five years. Los Angeles might also be willing to part with Willie Calhoun, who many believe the Dodgers are the least likely to hold onto of their top 5 prospects.
Some Lesser Names Los Angeles Could Land:
Mike Pelfrey, Chicago White Sox
Pelfrey is one of those guys that was picked up as a fill-in starter after the trade of Chris Sale and has done a pretty decent job. He has started 12 games for Chicago and has pitched to a 3.73 ERA.
While he may not be an elite starter, Pelfrey could certainly anchor down the back-end of the rotation in the playoffs. Chicago is currently 7.5 game out of first place, and seven out of the wild card.
With a relatively strong central division, it’s not difficult to imagine the White Sox as sellers at the deadline. Pelfrey is owed $7.46M for the 2017 season so he could produce a decent prospect return for the Sox.
Sonny Gray, Oakland A’s
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There has been talk for quite some time now that Sonny Gray would be available for any team that could pay the price. Gray has a career 3.52 ERA, though injuries have limited him since 2015. While he’s struggled mightily this year (4.45 ERA), he still has plenty of upside.
Perhaps one of the best parts about a trade for Gray is that he’s under team control through the 2019 season.
He has tremendous potential, as he demonstrated in his 2015 All-Star season where he pitched in 31 games and finished with a superb 2.73 earned run average.
Dan Straily, Miami Marlins
Dan Straily has had a decent bounce-back season in Miami this year, posting a 3.43 ERA through 15 starts. With a career earned run average of 4.12, Straily is not the elite starter Los Angeles would ideally like to land. But Straily has his upsides, especially since he cannot become a free agent until 2021.
An arm like his would come with minimal costs to the organization regarding both prospects and cash. It’s possible the Dodgers’ front office could swing a trade that includes a top 15 prospect and some money to go along with him.