Mound Musings: The Trade Winds May Be Blowing, Yay or Nay?

It's that time of year when uniforms (and fortunes) can normally change for quite a few pitchers. Contending teams often play a waiting game, hoping to land the best arm(s) available when that pitcher has yet to be traded as the deadline nears, but once a big name or two finds a new home, things can quickly pick up. But, will that be the case in this crazy season? Yes, the trade winds have already been blowing, albeit not with any major storm warnings yet, but with so many teams still in playoff contention, there may or may not be very many sellers. There's still time on the clock so maybe we can speculate on who might still be in play. But, let's start by seeing how changes in latitudes might impact the arms involved so far:

Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree to Philadelphia:

The first move of the trading season seems rather ho-hum at first glance, and only time will tell how much it will help the Phillies. At the time of the deal, Philadelphia had the worst bullpen in baseball – just slightly behind the Red Sox. So, they acquire arguably the two best relievers in the Sox pen. Workman is surely the key piece. He has worked as Boston's closer since mid-year last season. He did an adequate job in 2019, but he has struggled at times this year. Problem is, he is probably miscast as a ninth-inning guy, and so far, they are asking him to stand in for another struggler, Hector Neris. He actually has the stuff to potentially function as a closer, but he has gone through long stretches of exceptionally poor performance, so it remains to be seen if he can wrap his head around ninth-inning duties. I think the deal could marginally help the Phillies.

Interestingly, an arm included in the deal may be a serious sleeper. Nick Pivetta moves to Boston, and he might prove to be a diamond in the rough. I have been impressed with his raw stuff, but his inability to lock in a release point and command that stuff has been, to put it mildly, problematic. That said, keep a casual eye on him. Sometimes a change of scenery can make a world of difference. They might like to see if they can get him into their rotation, or he could perhaps surface as a late-innings reliever. We'll see.

So far, that's it. I do think we'll see more deals, but the teams willing to deal may not have a lots of pitching to offer. In many cases, the teams falling out of playoff contention can point to a lack of pitching as a big reason why. However, there are still some intriguing possibilities to ponder. Let's have a look:

The Cleveland Conundrum:

Last year, then Indians hurler, Trevor Bauer, lost his cool after being relieved, and threw a ball into the seats. It was rather embarrassing. It was also the last pitch he threw for Cleveland. He was dealt to Cincinnati where he is now on quite a roll.

In the next episode of the hit series The Cleveland Conundrum, a couple weeks ago, pitchers, Zach Plesac and Mike Clevinger broke team and league COVID-19 protocols and went out on the town. When it was discovered, they were both banished to the team's minor league camp. And, there were reports the antics weren't well-received by teammates. Some even indicated they would opt out of the season if they were brought back into the clubhouse without proper testing and precautions. So where do the Indians go from here? On one hand, dealing the pair might be in order, but the team is in the playoff hunt, and there is little question they are better with these two in the rotation. Clevinger just returned and was affective in his outing against a potent Minnesota offense. Maybe things are quieting down, or maybe it was a showcase. 

Is There a Major Difference Maker Available:

There are some deals coming, I can almost guarantee it! Rumors abound, and some of them will come to pass in one form or another. It's challenging, because at least three of the six teams considered to be the favorites to finish last in their respective divisions (Miami, San Francisco and Baltimore) are currently in the playoff hunt. Just for fun, I thought I'd list a few names I could see changing uniforms in the next few days and make a significant difference in the MLB playoff picture.

• Josh Hader (Brewers) – All things considered, he might be the most valuable relief pitcher in the game. Realistically, this one is perhaps a long shot, as Hader is under team control for three more years, but there could be a team willing to cough up an unbelievable package to add his services. He can close, he can pitch multiple innings if needed, and he's practically unhittable. In fact, he is literally unhittable this year – he has yet to allow a hit in 2020.
• Trevor Rosenthal (Royals) – Don't worry, there are some starting pitchers on my maybe list too, but bullpen help could be at a premium. The rosters of many teams are littered with weak relievers, some even serving as a contending team's closer, and these guys are being exposed more and more as the tight schedule wears them down. Rosenthal has returned to his glory days, at least for now, throwing smoke and generally strikes. I'd actually be surprised if he's still in Kansas City on the first day of September.
• Kevin Gausman (Giants) – You didn't really think I would leave him off this list did you? The perpetual tease is at it again. His velocity is up, and his off-speed stuff is more consistent, combining to provide a career-best strikeout rate. The Giants weren't considered a playoff team until a recent winning streak brought them into the picture. Gausman will become a free agent at the end of the year, so the big question is whether the Giants think they can sustain their current surge. If they want to go for it, bullpen help will be a must for them.
• Taijuan Walker (Mariners) – He'll also be a free agent at the end of this season, and the Mariners are clearly in rebuilding mode. He's not the star some expected him to be a few years ago, but he has put together enough quality innings in 2020 to get noticed by teams focusing on the postseason. The Mariners have no reason not to deal him, and he can help, actually offering pretty significant help, to some of the injury decimated rotations.
• Dylan Bundy (Angels) – It's hard to say what the Angels have in mind for this year and beyond regarding Bundy. The team has been brutal this season, mostly because of poor pitching, but they are obviously invested in the future with guys like Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon. Bundy has another year remaining on his contract, so I think it will come down to the offers made by other teams (there are sure to be some) and whether the Angels believe his turnaround is a long term thing. To be very honest, I continue to walk the fence on his future.
• Robbie Ray (Diamondbacks) – He's one of the biggest disappointments of the current season, and Arizona has been streaky – both good and bad – leading to decision time. He'll be a free agent at year's end, but his value could be at an all-time low. His ERA is an ugly 8.59, and his walk rate (8.33/9) might be seen as even more problematic. Before this year, Ray has been productive in the recent past, so this one comes down to another team believing they can turn him around and do it quickly enough to help yet this season. When he has everything in sync, he can be a good one, but we're talking one month.
• Keone Kela (Pirates) – Let's throw one more reliever on the list. The Pirates have been awful and won't be going anywhere but home this fall, and Kela will be a free agent when the season ends. The question mark here is Kela's health. He's a useful bullpen arm when he's on the mound, but that has been an ongoing problem. He missed time early following a positive COVID-19 test, and he has recently been dealing with "forearm tightness" suggesting his immediate future may depend on him being able to pass a physical.

Those are just a few to watch for, and there will likely be others. Don't forget the aforementioned Clevinger and Plesac. Even Bauer could be in play given the Reds' season-long sputtering offense, and he would move directly to the top of most wish lists, but my guess is Cincinnati feels there is still time, and they might hope for an extended winning streak if the bats get untracked. It's an interesting time. We'll recap any deadline deals in next week's Mound Musings.

Some Notable Rotation Ramblings:

• Here come the kids! A lot of top-shelf pitching prospects have been debuting recently, and one really stood out. The Marlins' Sixto Sanchez made a jump on my prospect list. He was clearly amped, easily hitting triple digits routinely (and sometimes missing his spots), but the movement was simply incredible.
• Lucas Giolito spun a no-hitter earlier this week. Sometimes a nice no-hitter is exciting, but not really remarkable, but this one was. Giolito was dominant, and if I might make a rash prediction, this kind of game can ignite a young team loaded with exceptional talent. A surge might be in the offing for the White Sox.
• A tough assignment for your MLB debut – versus the Yankees and Gerrit Cole – but the Braves Ian Anderson came away with an impressive victory. The command wasn't perfect, however, he kept the hitters off balance. I have had him ranked pretty high, and it looks like he might be ready to contribute.
• I'm going to give a shout out to Tyler Glasnow. I have long loved his stuff, and watching his most recent start, it sure looks like he is putting it all together now. He baffled hitters with an amazing 11 swinging strikes, and his 15.4 K/9 is the best in baseball this season. The Rays rotation is rounding into playoff shape.
• The Nationals have lost Stephen Strasburg for the rest of the year following carpal tunnel surgery, and while they are currently on the outside looking in for a playoff spot, they are expected to be buyers heading up to the trade deadline. They really need another front line starter, but those are pretty scarce.
• The 60 game suspension being served by Michael Pineda will be complete at the end of this month. He's been working out in preparation for stepping back into the Twins rotation. It's very hard to say how close he is to being in game shape, but he has the upside to help a fantasy team. A possible stash and see.

Endgame Odyssey:

The Jays seem to be at least a bit undecided regarding their primary closer. Ken Giles is gradually getting healthy, but in the interim, Anthony Bass has filled in with modest success, but they may now be leaning toward the better option of Jordan Romano. It may all academic in a couple weeks, but for the time being this could be a timeshare. The Padres are one of the most exciting teams to watch this year, but their bullpen has caught the injury bug. First, it was Kirby Yates, then Drew Pomeranz, leaving closing duties to Emilio Pagan. He's not an ideal option, but he should be serviceable. In one of those Cinderella stories, Daniel Bard appears to have graduated to the ninth-inning role in Colorado. I'd hesitate to bet against an occasional blow up, but he might give you some saves if that's what you are looking for. With Workman now in Philadelphia, the Red Sox appear to be trying Matt Barnes. He has fairly good stuff, but he has failed the closer role before. I'm staying away. Sean Doolittle is back with the Nationals after a stay on the injured list with knee inflammation. I expect him to at least share closing duties with Daniel Hudson.