After dealing Mark Melancon, the Pirates may not be done with their deadline moves, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. The team isn’t necessarily looking to act as a seller, though; instead, Pittsburgh is targeting a starter. The Melancon swap, after all, doesn’t represent full-blown capitulation, as it brought back a quality, major league level reliever in Felipe Rivero. Pittsburgh is said to be talking with the Rays, among other teams, and one can’t help but wonder whether the Bucs see an opportunity to achieve some value on an underperforming arm with a favorable contract situation.
Here are some more notes on major pitchers whose names are in discussions as the deadline approaches:
- The Rangers have spoken with the White Sox about Jose Quintana as well as Chris Sale, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets, but there’s no more reason to believe the sides are closer on the former than there is to think they’ll line up on the latter. At this point, there’s a difference of opinion between the teams on those southpaws’ values, per Rosenthal.
- There’s no chance that the Athletics will deal righty Sonny Gray at the deadline, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports. It is hard to call that a surprising revelation, given that we’ve heard no signals out of Oakland that he’d be made available. The A’s are obviously uninterested in selling low on a 26-year-old pitcher who had pitched like an ace heading into this season, but who has struggled badly in 2016. Gray’s strikeout rate has held steady, and he isn’t giving up many more walks than is typical, but he carries a 5.43 ERA over 107 2/3 innings and missed time with a trap strain. The 2016 downturn will at least tamp down Gray’s arbitration salary, and with three more years of control, it certainly behooves the Athletics to hold onto him at least until he can rebuild some value.
- Meanwhile, word is the Athletics could still deal southpaw Rich Hill even though he won’t return to the mound before the deadline and just hit the 15-day DL. Heyman tweets that there’s still “significant interest” in the veteran despite his lingering blister issues. Though he carries a risky profile given his recent and prior injury issues and lack of a productive big league track record prior to his out-of-nowhere breakout late in 2015, Hill has been aces when healthy in 2016. Over 76 frames, he owns a stellar 2.25 ERA with 10.7 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9.
- While none of these names are of the level of the pitchers discussed above, the Twins are said to be shopping Ricky Nolasco, Tommy Milone, and Fernando Abad, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). Nolasco and Milone could both conceivably be looked at by teams in need of some rotation depth, while Abad remains a useful LOOGY option for organizations that hope to bolster their pen. None, of course, seem particularly likely to draw major returns; if anything, Nolasco would likely be moved for a bit of salary relief.
What is LOOGY
Lefthanded reliever who is relied on mostly to get left handed hitters out.
Lefty-One-Out-GuY
What is a LOOGY
The Rangers should just get Quintana, you’d give up way less and that means less holes that need to be filled plus he’s cheaper and we’d have him almost as long as sale. And any pitcher is better than Martinez and Chi Chi. He’ll Rangers should have traded Chi Chi last year when he still had value.
They would still have to give up one of Gallo Profar or Mazara to get him imo
Unless they are getting someone to replace Liriano long term and then moving him, I see no reason for the Pirates to get another starter.
Let the kids pitch and get ready for the real window of contention in 17, 18 and 19..
And root for the Cubs to win this year and party all next year.
That’s the Pirates’ path to victory.
Brave receive catcher Brian McCann and third baseman Chase Headley from the Yankees along with cash considerations of $43.4 Million, $7.4 Million in 2016, $18 Million in 2017 and $18 Million in 2018. The Braves send MLB top 100 left-handed pitching prospect Kolby Allard and team’s top catching prospect Lucas Herbert to the Yankees with relief pitchers Eric O’Flaherty and Jim Johnson. Yankees save 28 Million and pick up two outstanding prospects and veteran relief pitchers. Braves get two years of catcher and third base.
Sounds good to me. Now the Braves need to package Teheran, Inciarte, Vizcaino, Jenkins, Albeis, plus a combination of pitching prospects to the Angels for Trout
If the Yankees trade McCann, it will not be for another catcher. They have a better one than Herbert (Sanchez)
A LOOGY is a Lefty one out guy
No one was thinking Chi Chi would have a downturn last year. They thought he’d be better this year.
No, you’d have Quintana longer than Sale ( 2020) and no, the Rangers would NOT have to give up much less for him, instead, probably just as much, my friend.
One more time… TROUT ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE!!!!
He might not be, but he should be. The Angels won’t be competitive any time soon with or without him. They should trade him and rebuild
Trout is the only one on the team that is capable of restocking the farm system for the angels. Calhoun would bring back a solid haul but not as good as trout would.
TROUT for Blanton!!!!!
Jose Quintana would win 20 games on the Pirates
Qunitana would win more games anywhere where bumbling Robin is not managing.
Rangers could buy low on Bucholtz or Nate Karns.
Rangers are unwilling to give up anything of real value for a starting pitcher. They seem to believe that they can acquire a SP for 10 cents on the dollar. If they added an elite sp they would have a real chance at a World Series.
Yankees should get Chris sale