2. Hector Santiago to Baltimore Orioles
The starting pitching market at the 2016 trade deadline is going to be a very weak one, especially since the San Diego Padres have recently traded Drew Pomeranz to the Boston Red Sox. Los Angeles should look to take advantage of that by trading starting pitcher Hector Santiago.
Santiago, despite his unimpressive 2016 campaign, will still be sought after by contenders because of how weak the trade market appears to be. He will also be coveted because he is a left-handed pitcher. As many people know, if a pitcher throws left handed, that tends to make teams a little more willing to take a chance on him.
No contender needs pitching as badly as the Baltimore Orioles. Chris Tillman has been their only consistent starter. Kevin Gausman has shown instances of brilliance but has been inconsistent. Ubaldo Jimenez has been terrible and Yovani Gallardo has only been a little bit better than Jimenez. Tyler Wilson and Mike Wright haven’t been impressive.
Santiago makes sense for the Orioles. They need rotation help and they could use a lefty in their rotation. The Orioles wouldn’t have much to offer the Angels, but Wilson plus a prospect might be a solid return. Wilson is the kind of pitcher who could thrive in Anaheim or at worst be a solid starting pitcher. And he’s young.
Next: 1. Gauge the market for Mike Trout