Fear not, pitching-needy clubs. There are still plenty of hurlers capable of improving a rotation next season available this winter.
Over the next few slides, we’ll take a look at a handful of pitchers whom teams should pursue now that some of the bigger fish have left the free-agent ocean. Zack Greinke, David Price, Jordan Zimmermann and Jeff Samardzija may have signed elsewhere, but teams still have an opportunity to improve via free agency or the trade market.
Every organization is different and brings different assets to the table. For some, spending on a free-agent hurler is the best course of action. In that case, Scott Kazmir and Mike Leake are two interesting targets teams should explore.
If teams want higher-quality arms, trading for the likes of Carlos Carrasco, Shelby Miller or Tyson Ross may be the way to go. Each hurler is young, productive and under team control for the next few seasons. In a world where free-agent pitchers are breaking the bank, that trio of arms arguably has more value than any free agent in this class.
Let us know what you think in the comments section below. What is a reasonable price for Leake or Kazmir? What type of package would it require to add the likes of Carrasco, Miller or Ross? Which teams really need to add more pitching?
You can never go wrong having Greinke or Price on the roster, but the players on this list are capable of improving a team in their own right. When the dust settles, they may be better options altogether.