MLB Trade Rumors: 5 teams who should trade for Madison Bumgarner

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 30: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the top of the first inning of a Major League Baseball game at Oracle Park on June 30, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

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CLEVELAND, OHIO – JULY 09: Justin Verlander #35 of the Houston Astros participates in the 2019 MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field on July 09, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

4. Houston Astros

No team in the league has done a better job at trading for established starters, identifying their biggest strengths and dialing said strengths up by a factor of ten through the use of analytics than the Houston Astros. Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole were already great pitchers before trades landed them in Houston. Verlander is 31-13 with a 2.55 ERA and 11.7 strikeouts per nine in 58 starts since joining the Astros. Cole is 24-10 with a 3.01 ERA and 12.8 strikeouts per nine in 52 appearances for Houston.

Verlander and Cole were already highly-regarded stars before the Astros acquired them, but the same cannot be said of journeyman right-hander Charlie Morton. Prior to signing with Houston after the 2016 season, Morton was a nine-year veteran with a losing record and 4.54 ERA in just under 900 MLB innings. The 35-year-old is now 40-12 over the last three seasons with a 3.08 ERA. He leads the American League with a 2.35 ERA this season in Tampa and is a legitimate Cy Young candidate. There is no greater testament to the power of analytics.

Bumgarner has the Astros on his no-trade list, but he would be wise to consider accepting a deal if they seriously enter the mix. At this point of his career, the 29-year-old could use a jolt in the arm to keep himself on track to land in the Hall of Fame when it’s all said and done.

The Astros have the second-best pitching staff in the American League, but are still looking for help. Houston does have the prospects to make a run at a younger, cost-controlled starter like Marcus Stroman, Trevor Bauer or Noah Syndergaard. If they don’t feel compelled to blow up their farm system to add to a position of strength, a well-established playoff hero like Bumgarner could certainly help.

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