MLB Trade Rumors: 5 players Astros should acquire

Jose Quintana, LHP, White Sox

Despite a strong showing in April, the Chicago White Sox are in rebuilding mode. One of several valuable pieces the club has at its disposal – and perhaps the most wanted man in baseball at the moment – is Jose Quintana.

Quintana got off to a slow start this year. He allowed six runs to the Tigers on Opening Day and posted a 6.17 ERA through his first four starts of the season. But, over his last four starts, Quintana has a 2.77 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 11 walks in 26 innings.

A 28-year-old left-hander under control through 2020 (his five-year, $26.5 million contract runs through the end of the 2018 season, but includes team options for 2019 and 2020), Quintana’s contract is nearly as big a selling point as his success on the mound.

In six major league seasons, Quintana is 48-51 with a 3.45 ERA. He was an All-Star in 2017 and finished in the top 10 of the Cy Young vote after posting a 3.20 ERA in 208 innings across 32 starts. Last season marked the fifth in a row in which Quintana posted an ERA of 3.76 or better. He has a 4.38 ERA this season.

The Astros rank No. 11 in baseball in farm system talent, according to FanGraphs, but some outlets are higher on the talent available in the system. At the beginning of the season, Baseball America slotted Houston third in terms of minor league talent. Therefore, there may be enough high quality players available in the system to pull off a trade for Quintana – but such a trade would be costly – three or four top 10 prospects might be required.

Therefore, one of the starters we’ll discuss next may be a better fit because the Astros won’t have to gut their minor league talent.