MLB Rumors: Will the White Sox trade Dylan Cease?
There’s an expectation around MLB that the Chicago White Sox will sell at the trade deadline. That much is obvious. Who they will deal, however, remains a question.
Dylan Cease would immediately become the most attractive trade commodity available…if he’s made available. There are a couple of things standing in the way of that, however.
First, Cease is a really good pitcher at his best! He finish second in AL Cy Young voting recently and is the unquestioned ace of this White Sox staff. Second, his value isn’t all that high right now. Yes, Cease is under contract until 2025, but he’s struggled with command this season and sports a 4.63 ERA, though he is trending in the right direction. As Andy McCullough pointed out in a recent column, trading Cease away comes with a price:
"“The team’s most exciting asset is Cease. But after finishing second in the Cy Young voting last year, Cease has struggled with his command and watched his strikeout rate tumble. Since he is under team control through 2025, the team may want to wait for his value to increase. But then the team runs the risk of Cease struggling even more, like so many of his teammates have done in recent years. The choice, on all of these players, will be painful. It is hard to admit defeat. But sometimes it is necessary.”"
Admitting defeat is fine, but by no means should the White Sox punt on competitive baseball five years down the road. Trading Cease could be doing just that.
MLB Rumors: Will the Cubs trade Marcus Stroman?
If the Chicago Cubs do decide to sell — and the expanded playoff format likely plays against that theory, at least for now — Marcus Stroman could be an attractive asset for any contender. Stroman is one of the best pitchers in the National League right now, sporting a 2.39 ERA and 1.00 WHIP through 13 starts.
Stroman has a player option after this year, which he could use to enter the free-agent market for a major payday. Assuming he continues to pitch this well, Stroman would be wise to exercise that option and make a huge bundle of money next offseason. If you’re the Cubs, it’s easy to punt on Stroman knowing full well you won’t pay the money necessary to keep him after he hits the open market.
In a recent radio segment, MLB insider Jon Heyman commented on the possibility of Stroman being moved:
"“The guy has performed incredibly this year, I mean he’s been one of the best pitchers in the league and has really helped keep them in it,” Heyman said. “I would say the general-out-there attitude probably means if he does get traded, I think the Blue Jays and the Mets are probably not candidates to take him back. But, I think that on-field stuff isn’t going to cause anyone else to hesitate if they do trade him. “And again, I’m not wishing they become a seller. If they do, they would get a lot for him. He’s been great.”"
Heyman is correct, but as he said, it’s too early to tell right now.
MLB Rumors: Could Braves trade for Michael Lorenzen?
Expect the Detroit Tigers to sell at the trade deadline, and for good reason. With Riley Greene and Eduardo Rodriguez out for the time being, odds are they will fall in the AL Central standings. That division is bad, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not poor enough for Detroit to stay within striking distance for long without their stars.
Plus, Scott Harris is fully aware that this team is far from a finished product, even with the entire roster healthy. Moves are needed to restore the roar, and the trade deadline is a great place to start.
Michael Lorenzen is on an expiring contract, and has a 3.21 ERA in nine starts. He’s the exact sort of pitcher a team like the Atlanta Braves should be looking at. Atlanta has the top of their rotation figured out, with Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder and Charlie Morton leading the way. When Kyle Wright and Max Fried come back, this group should be one of the more formidable in the National League.
The only problem? Well, Fried and Wright are coming off injury. Who knows how successful they’ll be upon impact?
Lorenzen can help patch up the rotation until those two players are ready, and affords the Braves some extra time. FanSided’s Cody Williams discussed the possibility of the Braves trading for Lorenzen on Wednesday:
"“Though he has only a 2-2 record over nine starts, Lorenzen already has a 1.1 WAR on the season, posting an impressive 3.21 ERA and 0.99 WHIP for the year. His 3.4 K/BB ratio is the second-best of his career and he’s been racking up quality starts, notching five in his last six starts. Because he’s only under contract through this season, Lorenzen could be an instance of Detroit looking to sell high and get something in a year where they are out of contention (again) in hopes of getting something promising instead of seeing the righty just walk for nothing in free agency this offseason.”"
The advanced numbers suggest Lorenzen is a capable back-end starter for a contender. He makes a lot of sense for Alex Anthopoulos.