Plenty of intriguing targets on market
A’s will have eyes on pitchers should they be buyers at deadline
OAKLAND » The American League is littered with postseason contenders. The A’s are in a tight sprint for two available wildcard spots with at least four other teams — the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers.
But a quick pitstop looms — the trade deadline. And the A’s will surely be looking primarily at the starting pitching and bullpen options.
What’s to give up? Oakland has a bit of an infielder glut in their farm system. Jorge Mateo and Franklin Barreto crowd a middle infield pipeline. There’s also some backup in the outfield, with Dustin Fowler and Nick Martini waiting behind a loaded outfield corps.
But who will the A’s be looking at to bolster their pitching staff? Here are some potential options.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants have a friendly face in Farhan Zaidi across the Bay Bridge, and for the first time in decades the A’s could engage in a trade with the Giants — who have a bevy of tradable assets on their pitching staff.
First, and foremost: Madison Bumgarner. A postseason legend
not five seasons ago — his all-time 0.25 World Series ERA ranks first in baseball history — Bumgarner has established himself as the most dominant postseason pitcher in recent history.
Despite a not particularly dominant season — a 4.03 ERA in 1112/3 innings with 112 strikeouts — Bumgarner’s postseason pedigree makes him the pitcher to get for a team looking to solidify itself as a legitimate postseason contender.
But, in a field heavy with contenders looking for starting pitching, Bumgarner will be a difficult get. For one, the asking price might be too much for a beloved player on a rival team on the downside of his career. Particularly since the Giants would seek a good return from a loaded team like the A’s.
The A’s might also look to the Giants’ bullpen for some relief. Will Smith is 23 for 23 in save opportunities this season. Sam Dyson has a 2.03 ERA and 39 strikeouts. Tony Watson could provide a muchneeded lefty arm out of the bullpen.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays could very well be on the sellers’ market with Marcus Stroman and Ken Giles as arms the A’s might want to investigate. Stroman will surely be at the top of most teams’ shopping list, and a difficult get: He has postseason experience, though the results were inconsistent. He has a 4.40 postseason ERA.
He was named an All-Star this year after posting a 3.18 first-half ERA.
The A’s could also look at Giles, who’s toting a 1.35 ERA and 13 saves in 31 innings.
New York Mets
The Mets’ tradable assets seem far less gettable. It’s unclear if Zack Wheeler, Jason Vargas or Noah Syndergaard are legitimately available. The price for Syndergaard — who has a 2.42 postseason ERA in five starts — should be out of the A’s range for a premier starting pitcher under team control until 2022. Wheeler and Jason Vargas are also options the A’s may look at, though a match seems unlikely given price.
Los Angeles Angels
A trade within the division seems unlikely, but try this on for size: a reunion with Trevor Cahill, who has struggled with the Angels to the tune of a 6.92 ERA. But Cahill might benefit from a change in scenery, particularly one that takes him back onto some familiar dirt with a staff that knows him.
Chicago White Sox
Closer Alex Colome would be the best option off of a struggling White Sox team. With a 2.02 ERA and 20 saves, the right-hander could be a sneaky good addition to the bullpen.
Detroit Tigers
Another closer on the market could be the Tigers’ Shane Greene, whose final arbitration year will be 2020. Greene was named an All-Star after posting a stunning 1.09 ERA with 22 saves for Detroit this season.