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.
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