Pirates’ Cole, Mets’ Reed could be dealt at deadline

Contenders eye ways to bolster pitching staffs

Teams always seek more pitching before the trade deadline.

Whether its aces, closers, back-of-the rotation starters or middle relievers, new arms are welcome in every clubhouse.

Of the 10 teams sitting in postseason spots at the All-Star break, eight clubs are in the top 10 in ERA.

Yes, pitching is that important.

The defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs al- ready bolstered their rotation by acquiring 2016 All-Star Jose Quintana fromtheWhite Sox on Thursday.

Here are 10 more pitchers who could be changing teams before the July 31 non-waiver deadline:

Gerrit Cole, Pittsburgh Pirates, RHP: Cole has struggled since going 19-8 with a 2.60 ERA in 2015. He’s 7-7 with a 4.43 ERA, but he’s only 26 and won’t be a free agent until 2020. His upside, age and contract could bring the Pirates a hefty return.

Jeremy Hellickson, Philadelphia Phillies, RHP: Hellickson is 5-5 with a 4.49 ERA after starting the year 4-0. He’s making $17.2 million and will be a

free agent after the season so it won’t take too much to get him fromthe rebuilding Phillies.

Scott Feldman, Cincinnati Reds, RHP: Feldman is 7-6 with a 3.94 ERA. He’s 34 and will be a free agent after the season. Feldman pitched well out of the bullpen for Houston last season so he’s a nice fit for a contender that needs a starter who could pitch in relief in a postseason series.

Sonny Gray, Oakland A’s, RHP: Gray is 10-15 with an ERA approaching five the past two seasons after winning 14 games in 2013 and 2014. But he’s been outstanding in his last four starts — 1.33 ERA, 21 strikeouts, 11 hits in 27 innings. The 27-year- old won’t be a free agent until 2020, so he’s another starter who can find a new home and be part of the rotation for a few years.

Edinson Volquez, Miami Marlins, RHP: Volquez is 4-8 with a 4.19 ERA after signing a two-year, $22million contract. The well-traveled veteran has postseason experience andwon aWorld Series with the Royals two years ago.

Pat Neshek, Philadelphia Phillies, RHP: Neshek was one of the best relievers in the first half, posting a 1.27 ERA and earning his second trip to the All-Star Game. He has 36 strikeouts and only five walks in 35 1/3 innings. The 36-yearold will be a free agent after the season. He can pitch the seventh, eighth or ninth innings.

Brad Hand, San Diego Padres, LHP: Hand has a 2.30 ERA in 42 appearances but he’s more than a lefty specialist. He pitched a scoreless inning in the AllStar Game and has been one of the most consistent relievers in baseball the last two seasons.

Addison Reed, New York Mets, RHP: The big righty has 15 saves, a 2.53 ERA and is versatile. Reed had 101 saves from 2012-14 and can close or pitch in the late innings. He’ll be a free agent after the season.

Drew Storen, Cincinnati Reds, RHP: Storen has rebounded nicely after a tough season in the American League. He has a 2.72 ERA in 38 appearances and has been a successful closer in the past.

David Robertson, Chicago White Sox, RHP: Robertson is the best closer on the market. He has 13 saves this season and 123 saves since 2014. His contract, which has one year at $13 million remaining, might be a deterrent for some teams. all Cavanagh needed to pick up the win for his dominant performance. The Oneida alum struck out a season-high eight batters while walking two and surrendering four hits.

“All my pitches were working for strikes,” he said. “Timp did a good job calling pitches. Pretty much whatever he was putting down I was throwing and it worked out.”

Cavanagh had to be nearly perfect with Jesse Sustachek turning in an impressive performance for Cortland. The Crush starter pitched all eight innings, allowing just the one run on two hits while striking out seven and walking one.

Both pitchers were perfect in the first inning before the visitors mounted a threat in the top of the second. Joseph Tevlin led off with a single and Ketch reached on an error, giving Cortland runners on first and second with no outs. Cavanagh got David White to hit a ground ball to Jake Coro at third and he tagged Tevlin out and threw to first in time to retire White for a double play before Alex Flock struck out to end the inning.

Cavanagh then retired 10 straight batters before Flock singled with two outs in the top of the fifth. Ethan Moore didn’t see a pitch, however, as Cavanagh picked Flock off of first to end the frame.

Timpanelli then gave him a lead to work with in the home half of the inning. Sustachek, who had retired the first 14 batters he faced, left a pitch over the middle of the plate and the Silversmiths’ catcher belted it into a tree behind the right-field fence for a 1-0 advantage.

“He just left it right over the heart of the plate,” said Timpanelli. “Just watching it from the moment he started his wind-up to the moment it came in to my bat. Really just tried clearing my mind at the plate and I guess it worked.”

With heavy rain start- ing to fall, Cavanagh retired the first two batters in the top of the sixth before walking Joseph Rogers. He threw two balls to Tyler Schmidt, including a wild pitch that moved Rogers to second, before the umpires called a rain delay that lasted about 30 minutes. Cavanagh balked when play resumed and walked Schmidt to put runners on the corners but got a soft line out to second to end the threat.

The Crush put one runner on in each of the final three innings but none advanced past first. Timpanelli caught Ketch trying to steal second in the seventh and Cavanagh retired two straight in the top of the eight. He retired the first two batters in the ninth before Tevlin singled for the second time, bringing Hegmann to the mound.

“He said I really want to go to a lefty right now, that’s what my gut’s telling me,” said Cavanagh. “I said ‘coach, I’m going to get it done for you’ and he trusted me.”

He did just that, retiring Ketch to end the game.