As every season, there will be buyers and sellers as the July 31st trade deadline looms. Every contender and pretender need high-quality pitching down the stretch. So, which pitchers will be on the move and ready to power their new teams to the playoffs?
Zack Wheeler – New York Mets
The New York Mets are two games under .500 and in third place in the National League East at the time of writing. Despite their offseason moves, the Mets have struggled to overcome rivals Philadelphia and the Atlanta Braves.
The Mets will have a big decision to make as June progresses. Pitcher Zack Wheeler is in his final year as a New York player and will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. The Mets will deal Wheeler if the playoffs are out of reach. They could even trade the pitcher if a wild card place is the best the Mets can achieve.
Wheeler hasn’t been great this year posting a 3-3 record along with a 4.74 ERA.
Madison Bumgarner – San Francisco Giants
Madison Bumgarner is in the final season of a five-year, $35 million contract. The San Francisco Giants ace is still under 30 and should have plenty of suitors chasing him this summer. San Francisco is dead last in the National League West and look unlikely to overhaul the 11.5 games that separate themselves and first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.
The left-handed hurler is just 3-4 in 11 starts so far this year. Some of that is due to the poor team around him. Good left-handed pitching is hard to come by, so expect Bumgarner to move before the deadline passes. The New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are keeping tabs on him.
Trevor Bauer – Cleveland Indians
The San Diego Padres attempted to sign Cleveland Indians co-ace Trevor Bauer in early May. The deal didn’t come off, but the Padres will most likely revisit it as June and July come around. The Indians are already eight games behind the Twins in the AL Central and with Bauer’s contract going to arbitration in the summer, Cleveland could deal him.
San Diego have got strong pitching thus far, but want to fortify their rotation to push for a playoff place. While the Indians have made the playoffs in recent season, San Diego is hungry for a postseason berth. Bauer has started 11 games and tallied a 4-3 record with a 3.95 ERA. Cleveland is paying Bauer $13m this season.