With Luis Garcia off the market following his trade to the Honolulu Hammerheads, the Trade Market for starting pitchers are quite bare. With a little over three periods remaining until the Roger Dorn Baseball League Trade Deadline and 10 teams on the lookout for help, Front Offices around the league are being forced to be creative with a focus on help for the final stretch and a potential Playoff run.
Clubs will continue to monitor the performance of the Las Vegas Aristocrats who currently sit ~170 out of the final Wild Card spot. If they fall out of contention, Max Scherzer (3/$68) will immediately become the prize of the Trade Market.
Without Scherzer, here are six starting pitchers to monitor in the coming days and weeks that could be moved before the deadline:
RHP Adam Wainwright (2/$4), Mt. Diablo Devils
The Devils have received multiple inquiries on Wainwright, but he's hardly a toss-in to a deal despite his age. Waino was a top-five pitcher in the RDBL in 2021 and has backed that up with a 3.26 ERA in 96.0 innings this year. He could offer Watson some salary cap relief for 2023 given his $4 contract but he could be impressed enough with an offer to move him as well before the August 1st deadline.
RHP Jose Berrios (1/$38), Asti Grape Stompers
Berrios has been a disaster this season, first for the Idaho Taters and then for the Asti Grape Stompers who attempted to buy-low on the right-hander. The cost to acquire him could not be lower with his contract taking him out of any future plans by the Grapes. He's coming off a 23-point outing against the Oakland Athletics, which could be the jumping off point for a strong run considering he's posted 400+ points in each of the last full three seasons he's pitched.
With Nate Lowe (2FA/$5), Christian Yelich (1/$31) and Eduardo Escobar (2FA/$5) all candidates to be moved, look for Berrios to be a potential toss in for a contender.
RHP Marcus Stroman (3/$6), Asti Grape Stompers
Much in the mold of his teammate above, Stroman's value is quite low but could offer some depth to a contender's starting rotation for the remainder of the season. Stroman is back with the Cubs as he closes in on his return from right shoulder inflammation that sidelined him in early June. Before getting crushed for -33 points in his final outing on June 3rd, Stroman posted five consecutive positive starts totaling 111.0 points.
LHP Blake Snell (1/$10), Cloverdale Clovers
Snell has posted just 54.0 points for the Clovers with a 5.13 ERA and 1.46 WHIP over 40.0 innings while working around an IL stint. That has pushed him out of the Clovers future plans, giving contender's the ability to land a veteran arm for a small price.
RHP Jake Odorizzi (1FA/$5), Las Vegas Aristocrats
The 'Crats have a deep rotation which could allow them to deal from an area of strength to obtain some additional offense for the stretch drive. Set for a start against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, Odorizzi could offer a quick boost this period with the Wild Card race likely to be extremely close where one start could make a difference.
RHP Kyle Gibson (2FA/$5), St. Joseph Jokers
Up until his last two starts, Gibson held a respectable 4.06 ERA before posting -35.0 points combined against the Padres and Cardinals. With 121.0 points on the season, Gibson could be used with the right matchups against weaker National League clubs and bring a boost to a contender's starting rotation.
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