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July is the month when the tension starts to ratchet up in the daily drama of big league baseball. The approaching trade deadline is an important notch in the season-long arc. The teams who are in it to win it collect whatever extra weapons and spare parts they can garner, while the also-rans pack up and start talking about next year.  

Cubs Looking For Arms

With the Chicago Cubs suddenly finding themselves ahead of schedule in their rebuilding plan, the perennial underdogs may be gearing to make a run for this year’s wild card while also improving for next year. Fox Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi reported on Sunday that most of the Cubs’ trade discussions have centered around adding pitchers, preferably ones who offers something for the future:

The Cubs would prefer to trade for a starting pitcher whom they would control beyond this year, because they lack major-league-ready starters in the upper levels of their system. If they’re going to play on a big name, Cole Hamels (signed to a long-term contract) makes more sense than Johnny Cueto (pending free agent).

Clay Buchholz and Jeff Samardzija Could Be Available

More teams than not are looking for arms at this point in the season, and there should be some talent available. In the June 28 Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo listed both the Boston Red Sox’s Clay Buchholz and the Chicago White Sox’s Jeff Samardzija as potentially on the block. 

With the Red Sox hovering at around six games back in a weak division, they may not be quite ready to throw in the towel and retool. But if they don’t start hot after the All-Star break, it might be time to shop Buchholz if they can get value for him in return. 

Buchholz has had a good season for a disappointing team. He’s struck out just over four batters for every one he has walked. His WHIP is just 1.19 and his ERA 3.27.

If the Cubs were to go across town and trade for Samardzija, they would be picking up a hurler with potential but one who has struggled this year. Samardzija has led the league in hits allowed, though his control has remained good. 

As the current project of former front office prodigy Theo Epstein, the Cubs are playing for beyond this season and hope to build  a solid franchise that will contend yearly for the post season. Slotting in a pitcher with Buchholz‘s experience and talent some place in the middle of a rotation would make the Cubs stronger immediately. 

Buchholz is due to collect $13,000,000 for the next two seasons. It works out to fair value for a playoff team, if he continues to contribute to his current level. 

Giants Trolling For Offense

While the Cubs have been chasing arms, it sounds like the San Francisco Giants are aiming to add a bat for the stretch. Sunday evening, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted:

The Giants have been able to stay above .500 this year—within striking distance of the wild card—and if they can bolster their offense, their pitching should make them competitive against a lot of teams in a short series. 

Cameron Maybin has been a pleasant surprise for the Atlanta Braves this year, and as Olney himself tweeted, Atlanta is probably not going to trade him on the cheap:

Gerardo Parra might have a bit more pop in his bat than Maybin anyway, and with the Milwaukee Brewers’ 2015 season already a runaway train wreck, he might be easier to pick up. 

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As we approach the season’s halfway point, MLB teams are now aware of what they need in order to contend for a title. Those who want to add pitching will have quite a few options on the open market.

While big names such as Cole Hamels and Johnny Cueto could possibly be on the move as part of blockbuster trades, each player would likely cost a suitor at least a few top prospects. Those who don’t want to mortgage the future would be better off looking at some cheaper options currently on the trading block.

These pitchers likely won’t be the difference in a championship run, but they could be useful additions for reasonable prices, making them much more likely to be dealt in the coming weeks.

Mat Latos, Miami Marlins

Like they have a few times in recent years, the Miami Marlins came into the year with a lot of promise before failing miserably once the games started. With Giancarlo Stanton now out with a broken wrist, the organization could be in a position to once again start up the fire sale.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports noted a few pitchers have already garnered interest from teams around the league:

Of all the options, though, Mat Latos might be the most intriguing one for squads looking for a starting pitcher. While his 5.49 ERA in 12 starts certainly looks bad, this might be more bad luck than anything else. His FIP of 3.61, per Baseball-Reference.com, is more in line with his career ERA of 3.47.

Considering Latos has posted an ERA between 3.10 and 3.50 in each of the past four seasons, it’s reasonable to expect the veteran to fare much better in the second half of the year.

Meanwhile, Ryan Boyer of NBC Sports noted the velocity has been even better than usual:

Clearly, the 27-year-old pitcher represents a great high-upside bet for a team looking to upgrade its rotation.

Jeff Samardzija, Chicago White Sox

A year ago at this time, Jeff Samardzija was one of the hottest names on the trade block as an All-Star for the Chicago Cubs. He put up good but not great numbers with the Oakland Athletics (5-6 with a 3.14 ERA) after being traded, but this year hasn’t been quite the same for the 30-year-old starter.

After joining the Chicago White Sox this offseason, Samardzija has managed just a 4.56 ERA while giving up 10.2 hits per nine innings. His strikeouts are down, and he is really struggling to get players out.

This has led to some confusion about his value on the trade market, although teams are still interested, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

Teams are tempted but don’t know what to make of him because of his 4.53 ERA and struggles this season. His affordability as a rental and the fact that he’s not a No. 1-caliber starter in the eyes of most scouts but a good second or third guy in a rotation make him worth looking at. But the White Sox likely wouldn’t receive a great return. That’s why the same teams looking at Clay Buchholz are looking at Samardzija — the Royals, Tigers, Twins, Blue Jays, Yankees, Cardinals, Orioles, Angels, and Dodgers.

With the White Sox sitting at just 32-42 on the season, good for last place in the AL Central, trading anyone of value makes sense. Even if the return isn’t as much as they might have hoped going in, it’s better than nothing if he leaves as a free agent this offseason.

If he can regain his old form, however, his next team could end up with a bargain.

Jonathon Niese, New York Mets

The New York Mets aren’t exactly sellers heading into the All-Star break, but they do need to get rid of their excess in starting pitching. With Steven Matz making a successful debut Sunday, the team once again has too many players to fit into its rotation.

More than likely the odd man out will be Jonathon Niese, who at 28 years old doesn’t fit in with the youth movement with Matz (24), Matt Harvey (26), Noah Syndergaard (22) and Jacob deGrom (27). Bartolo Colon qualifies as an exception as a fan favorite who is due to be a free agent after the season.

The good news is there are teams interested in acquiring the left-handed starter, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports:

While Niese might not provide the excitement of his younger counterparts in Citi Field, he still has a respectable 4.12 ERA on the season and 3.46 mark in June. He also has four quality starts in a row going into Tuesday’s matchup against the Chicago Cubs.

If he can impress in his next start, Chicago might be willing to consider a deal to give the Mets some much-needed offense. New York general manager Sandy Alderson recently explained he is “prepared to overpay” for a hitter, “but there has to be something to overpay for,” per Adam Rubin of ESPN.com.

Niese likely won’t be enough to bring back a top prospect, but he could be a key piece in a bigger deal that helps both teams.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.   

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With the Oakland Athletics owning the American League’s worst record, they can start going into sell mode as trading season picks up. Utilityman Ben Zobrist is one of their best trade chips and is starting to attract attention around the league.   

Continue for updates. 

Nationals Asking About Zobrist

Friday, June 5

According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, the Washington Nationals have called the Athletics about Zobrist as a potential replacement for Jayson Werth:

Zobrist’s positional versatility would fit well in Washington, which also needs help at shortstop and protection in case players who have had injury problems in the past, such as Anthony Rendon or Ryan Zimmerman, get hurt. 

However, Rosenthal also noted the Nationals aren’t going to be alone if/when the Athletics dive into trade discussions for Zobrist:

Even though he has gotten off to a slow start this season, hitting .222/.304/.383 in 23 games while missing one month with a knee injury, there may not be a more sought-after trade chip this summer because he can play so many positions and is making a reasonable $7.5 million salary. 

Because of Zobrist’s versatility and salary, Oakland general manager Billy Beane can dangle him to the highest bidder without worrying it won’t come. There are going to be a lot of teams buying at the deadline because there are currently 26 clubs either in the playoffs or within 5.5 games of a playoff spot. 

The A’s have had a disastrous 2015 season, made worse by injuries to key players like Zobrist, but Beane should be able to cash in some of those chips before July 31 to help rebuild the system. 

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Veteran relief pitcher Rafael Soriano has been sitting on the sideline so far in 2015, waiting to find the right team and opportunity before he pitches in the big leagues. The 35-year-old appears to be narrowing his choices down.   

Continue for updates. 

Three Teams Aggressively After Soriano

Friday, June 5

According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, there are three teams aggressively after Soriano, with a possible deal coming before his workout June 11, per his agent, Alan Nero:

The St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs are always in competition with each other, and it’s warranted this time. Both teams are over .500—the Cardinals own the best record in baseball—and they have playoff aspirations. The Toronto Blue Jays have a payroll over $125 million, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts, but are desperate to find a life preserver with a 25-30 record. 

The Cubs and the Blue Jays would have more incentive to sign Soriano, as they rank in the bottom 11 in bullpen ERA. The Cardinals could be seeking depth since their relievers rank second in all of baseball with a 2.11 ERA. 

Soriano spent the previous two seasons pitching with the Washington Nationals. He had a 3.15 ERA and 75 saves in 132 games. His past experience in high-leverage situations and as a closer makes him a valuable asset as teams seek to upgrade their bullpen. 

The Cardinals would present Soriano with the best chance to win a title this year, while the Cubs and the Blue Jays could tempt him with the allure of pitching in the closer’s role that he won’t get in St. Louis because of Trevor Rosenthal’s presence. 

Stats via ESPN.com.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers may sit atop the National League West, but that’s not preventing their front office from exploring trade options. Juan Uribe, who is in the final year of his current deal, was reportedly traded to the Atlanta Braves. 

Continue for updates.   

Uribe Reportedly Dealt to Braves

Tuesday, May 26

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported that Uribe had been traded to the Braves:

Rosenthal first reported that negotiations were taking place earlier Tuesday, and noted that a deal had nearly been completed on Monday night. 

Uribe is off to a slow start in 2015. He’s hitting .247/.287/.309 with one home run in 29 games and has battled hamstring injuries despite avoiding the disabled list. 

The 36-year-old veteran has never been the most durable player, having played less than 135 games every year since 2011, but his ability to hit for average with some power and play strong defense at third base has allowed him to carve out a solid 15-year career. 

The Dodgers have Justin Turner already on the roster as a replacement for Uribe, as well as top prospect Corey Seager in Triple-A who could come up at some point this season and play on the left side of the infield. 

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Cuban players have enjoyed a great deal of success in Major League Baseball in recent years, and the next potential star from Cuba could be on the verge of joining the league in the form of pitcher Norge Luis Ruiz.

Continue for updates.  

Ruiz in Search of MLB Contract

Friday, May 22

At 21 years of age, Ruiz is one of the hottest prospects in Cuba, and he could soon be firing fastballs in major league stadiums.

According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, the talented righty has left Cuba and is hoping to land a contract with a big league team:

Per Baseball-Reference.com, Ruiz has put up some impressive numbers in the Cuban National Series since 2012. With a 17-11 record, 2.25 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, Ruiz seemingly has the tools needed to be an effective pitcher in the world’s top league.

There is still an unknown element regarding Ruiz since he hasn’t been tested against the very best players, but teams are seemingly more and more willing to pay for potential.

Because of that, Ruiz stands a good chance to land a lucrative deal in the near future.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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Buoyed by an offseason spending spree that included a long-term agreement with star Giancarlo Stanton, most expected the Miami Marlins to compete for an NL East title. A disappointing 3-10 start apparently has management reconsidering the status of manager Mike Redmond.  

Continue for updates.

Redmond on Hot Seat

Monday, April 20

Clark Spencer of The Miami Herald reported that not only is Redmond standing on thin ice but the team is considering Mets Triple-A manager Wally Backman as a potential replacement.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal provided additional details on Redmond’s status with the team:

Backman, 55, is in his third season with the Las Vegas 55s, leading them to the playoffs during his first two campaigns. He has been with the Mets organization since 2010 and also has minor league managerial experience with the Chicago White Sox and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Should Backman wind up replacing Redmond, he’ll be taking over perhaps baseball’s most disappointing team. Miami is coming off of a four-game sweep at the hands of New York and has completely fallen apart amid struggles on its pitching staff. Only the Texas Rangers have given up more runs through their first 13 games.

High-profile acquisitions, such as starting pitcher Mat Latos and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, are off to miserable starts, and the Marlins are looking for any way possible to jump-start their roster. If he’s let go, Redmond will be the fourth Marlins manager to either be let go or resign since 2010. (The Marlins also had two interim managers in 2011.)

Overall, he has compiled a 142-195 record since arriving in 2013.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.

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It’s been a big offseason for starting pitchers on the move.

After months of speculation, Cliff Lee signed a five-year, $120 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies in the free-agent frenzy of the winter. The Milwaukee Brewers emptied their farm system for trade-market equivalent Zack Greinke and the Chicago Cubs then gave up an arguably better package of prospects for the good-not-great Matt Garza.

Even lesser pitchers Carl Pavano and Jake Westbrook each got $16.5 million as free agents. Fausto Carmona’s name came up in multiple conversations and names like Brandon Webb, Brad Penny and Javier Vazquez were the subjects of persistent rumors as well.

Now, with MLB‘s winter recess over and spring training underway, a new name has ignited flames on the hot stove: Francisco Liriano.

The seed was planted earlier this month when, after talking to Twins team officials, the Minnesota Star-Tribune‘s Joe Christensen wrote that he was “surprised how open they are” to trading Liriano. Since then, USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale has reported that the New York Yankees are “keeping a close eye” on the Twins ace, while Minnesota was “keeping tabs on” Bombers prospects.

I know I’m not the first person to have this reaction, but there’s one little problem with the idea of the Twins unloading Liriano now: It doesn’t many any sense whatsoever.

First of all, the Twins are the reigning AL Central champions and they figure to at least be serious contenders again in 2011. That’s not the kind of situation that would motivate most teams to deal their best pitcher.

Minnesota didn’t face any serious challengers in 2010, but their six-game advantage over the second-place White Sox is too small for the Twins to feel fully secure about another title this year. Plus, their main competition, the White Sox and Detroit Tigers, have upgraded this winter by bringing in Adam Dunn and Victor Martinez, respectively; unless they got equivalent big-league talent in return, trading their ace would be enough for the Twins to lost their status as preseason favorites.

But beyond that, trading Liriano would be stupid because—strange as it may sound for a pitcher who went 14-10 with a 3.62 ERA last year—his trade value is too low.

Impressive as his stats may be, Liriano in fact suffered from miserable luck in 2011. His .331 BABIP was the second-highest in baseball among qualified pitchers, behind only James Shields (.341).

How big of a difference did that make? Consider this: Liriano posted a 2.66 FIP (a better predictor of future ERA than past ERA), good for second in the AL. His 3.06 xFIP was the best in the league. A couple of bad bounces and some poor backing defense were all that separated him from a prominent spot in the Cy Young conversations.

Not convinced? Consider this: FanGraphs’ wins above replacement statistic (which uses FIP instead of ERA) has him at 6.0 WAR for 2010. Remember how big the Twins’ lead over the White Sox was? Without Liriano anchoring Minnesota’s staff, the AL Central ends in a tie.

In addition, inquiring GMs will be weary of Liriano’s inconsistent track record. After going 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA as a rookie in 2006, he underwent Tommy John surgery, which cost him the entire 2007 season. In 43 games in 2008-09, he went 11-17 with a 5.12 ERA.

Given Liriano’s exceptional peripherals, previously demonstrated talent and age (he’s only 27), there’s no reason to think he can’t continue to play at this level or even improve.

Unless the Twins know something we don’t (maybe his elbow’s acting up again?)—in which case, any suitor would demand the relevant information—why would they sell one of the best young pitchers in the game for the price of an inconsistent starter who’d just had a very good-but-not-great year? Especially right before the start of a season when they’re planning to play well into October?

Of course, this is all assuming the Twinkies don’t get a fair offer, and if the pitching-starved Yankees are indeed after him, they might be desperate enough to over pay. But it’s hard to see Minnesota getting a decent return on an investment that could cost them the season.

For more of Lewie’s work, visit WahooBlues.com. Follow him on Twitter @LewsOnFirst or @WahooBlues.

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Via Bill Madden of the NY Daily News:

“While it is doubtful the Mets would be interested in [Armando] Galarraga at that salary, a Yankee source said the Bombers would at least look into acquiring him. Detroit has 10 days to make a move with Galarraga. If he isn’t traded, he could be sent to the minors.”

First thing, what Madden means by that last part is that Armando Galarraga was designated for assignment. That means if nobody claims him, the Tigers can send him to the minors. If somebody claims him, they can either try to work out a trade with that team or simply let them take him for nothing.

Yesterday I took a look at whether or not Galarraga is better than Sergio Mitre (there isn’t much of a question that Ivan Nova at least has a higher ceiling than Galarraga). What I determined was that he really isn’t necessarily worth it. While his career numbers are better than Mitre’s, they don’t seem to be different enough to justify the upgrade, especially considering Mitre has gotten better while Galarraga has gotten worse.

However, the Yankees may want to add Galarraga because, unlike the other pitchers they are interested in, he’s only 29 (younger than 30) and is likely to actually stay healthy next year. He just signed a $2.3 million deal as well, so he’s cheap, and that’s not counting the chunk the Tigers are going to have to pay.

As an upgrade, he isn’t much more than Mitre, but he’s healthy. If the Yankees want insurance, at least he’s more likely to pitch than alternatives Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia and Justin Duchscherer.

What do you think? Should the Yankees try to make a move for Galarraga? Or should they look at somebody else instead?

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• January 18, 2011 — Armando Galarraga or Sergio Mitre: Who is Yankees Best Option?
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If there is a starter on the free agent market with a questionable injury history the Yankees are apparently in on him.

Well they are supposedly “stepping up their pursuit” of one questionable starter, former A’s starter Justin Duchscherer according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.

Duchscherer, 33, has suffered a myriad of injuries and even clinical depression that has derailed a once promising career.

From 2004 though 2006 he was a successful reliever for the Oakland Athletics. Across those three seasons he put up a 2.80 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, a 7.4 K/9, and 2.3 BB/9 over 237.2 innings.

Still a reliever in 2007 he was limited to just 17 games thanks to a biceps strain and a right hip strain. His season came to an end when he was forced to have Labrum surgery.

Duchscherer started the 2008 season as part of the A’s rotation, but was limited to only 22 starts in part because of an inflamed biceps in April of that year. He got over it though and have an impressive year. In 141.2 innings he had a 2.54 ERA with a 0.995 WHIP, a 6.0 K/9 and a 2.2 BB/9. He also earned a spot on the All-Star team.

Dealing with depression and bone spurs in his elbow, Duchscherer missed the entire 2009 season.

He returned in 2010, but only started five games before he was forced to miss the remainder of the season with another hip surgery (this time on his left side).

He is a soft tosser with a fastball that comes in at about 85 mph on average. He also throws a slider, cutter, and curveball, relying mostly on his fastball and cutters to get batters out.

So while Duchscherer has had success during his career, he is now past his prime and hasn’t put together a full season since 2006 when he was still a reliever. He prefers to start, but the Yankees may see him as a possible bullpen piece.

He earned $1.75 million last season and probably won’t make more than that this year.

Due to the slim chance he has of actually being a big contributor hopefully the Yankees can get him on a minor league contract with an invite to spring training.

What do you think? With all of the questionable names out there this offseason is Duchscherer’s one that makes sense? Or is the reality that he has only made 27 starts since 2008 too much to ignore?

Related Stories

• October 31, 2010 — 10 Starters the Yankees Can Sign if They Fail to Get Cliff Lee
• December 14, 2009 — Yankees Eyeing Sheets, Duchscherer
• November 23, 2009 — Who Does Make Sense for the Yankees?

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