7 Teams That Could Make an Offer for Dan Haren Before MLB Trade Deadline

It's been a struggle for Los Angeles Angels ace Dan Haren this year. His fastball velocity is down, and his ERA is up. He just hasn't looked like himself all season.

It doesn't help that the Angels have had a hard time scoring runs with Haren on the mound this season. In fact, they've been shut out in each of his last three starts, and they've scored three runs or fewer for him in seven of his eight starts.

It's May 15th, and the Angels are in last place in the AL West with a record of 15-21. They're eight games behind the Texas Rangers.

Common sense says the Angels aren't going to be this bad all season, but what if they are?

If the Angels keep struggling, they're going to have some decisions to make at the deadline, and Haren is a guy who could emerge as a trade candidate. He's a tried and true top-of-the-rotation starter, and the Angels will have incentive to take what they can get for him. If they deal him, they'll avoid having to make a decision on his $15.5 million club option for the 2013 season.

So let's say the Angels are out of it by July 31, and that they decide to take offers for Haren. What then?

Here are seven teams that could come calling.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves have recovered from a slow start to climb back to near the top of the NL East, but they still have problems that need solving.

Starting pitching is one of them. The Braves have some good arms in their rotation, but their rotation has a 4.31 ERA, according to FanGraphs. That's one of the highest marks in the National League.

It's in Atlanta's interest to bolster its starting rotation. They're going to be competing with the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins all year, and all three of them have very good starting rotations. The Braves will need to be able to match up when things get hectic late in the season.

A move to the NL East would work in Haren's favor, as the only team with a truly dangerous offense within the division is the Braves. Even if he doesn't recapture his old velocity, Haren would be more effective pitching in the NL East than he currently is pitching in the AL West.

The Braves have the goods to make a deal for Haren. They have a deep farm system, and they have some intriguing arms they could offer the Angels in exchange for Haren.

Atlanta has been hesitant to deal their young pitchers, and they deserve credit for that. However, this is a "win now" year. Instead of holding on to their youngsters, the Braves should go for broke.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds have a legit Cy Young candidate in Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo has looked much more like himself, and it's just a matter of time before Mat Latos comes around.

That's three starters that the Reds know they can rely on. And since they don't seem to be in any hurry to move Aroldis Chapman into their starting rotation, they're going to need at least one more starter for the stretch run.

Haren would provide stability in Cincinnati's rotation, even more so in the event that Latos continues to struggle and Arroyo starts giving up homers like he did last year. Increased rotation stability would allow the Reds to give the Cardinals a run for their money, and they'd have a better chance of winning in a short series once the playoffs roll around.

The Reds don't have many trade chips to deal thanks to the Mat Latos trade, but they still have enough assets to make a deal for Haren if they conclude that they need more starting pitching for the stretch run.

The Reds are good enough to make the postseason. If they make a deal for Haren or any other established starting pitcher, it will be because they determined they're not good enough to win the World Series.

Detroit Tigers

Justin Verlander is one of the five best starting pitchers in baseball. Doug Fister is a highly underrated No. 2 starter.

Beyond those two, the Tigers can take nothing for granted with their starting rotation. They could use at least one more guy who could provide innings and keep runs off the scoreboard on a consistent basis (i.e. somebody not named Max Scherzer or Rick Porcello).

In early May, Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reported that rival executives were already anticipating that the Tigers would make a "strong push" to acquire starting pitching at the trade deadline. Until further notice, that's going to be the case in Detroit.

In Detroit's rotation, Haren would merely have to be a solid No. 3 starter, and he could potentially pitch a lot better for Detroit knowing that his offense isn't going to make a habit of getting shut out when he takes the mound.

The Tigers don't have a very deep farm system, so it would be hard for them to make a competitive offer for Haren without including a major league pitcher. If it came to it, I for one wonder if they'd dangle Drew Smyly as a trade centerpiece while his value is still high.

Just an idea.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Most people credit Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier for the Dodgers' hot start this season, but the team's starting pitching deserves some credit too.

Per FanGraphs, LA's starting rotation has a 2.81 ERA, second-lowest in the majors behind the Washington Nationals. They've gotten great work out of all five of their starters.

So why would they be interested in trading for a starting pitcher?

A couple reasons. First and foremost, there's no way Ted Lilly and Chris Capuano are going to maintain ERAs in the low 2.00s. Once they come back down to earth, the Dodgers will find themselves looking for ways to bolster their starting rotation.

Furthermore, keep in mind that the Dodgers are under new ownership, and indications are that the team's new bosses won't be afraid to make splashes. ESPN's Buster Olney reported today that the Dodgers are poised to be the "most aggressive team" before the trade deadline, and that comes as no surprise.

If Haren becomes available, the Dodgers will look into him because a switch to the National League could make Haren an ace again, and because he wouldn't necessarily have to be a mere rental for them. Assuming he's enjoyed his time in Southern California, he could look to sign on with the Dodgers long-term.

New York Yankees

Andy Pettitte's first start could have gone a lot worse, and the Yankees have to be encouraged with what they got from Phil Hughes in his most recent start.

But make no mistake about it, the Bombers' rotation is far from being out of the woods. Things are going to be shaky all season long.

The Yankees are all but assured to be looking for starting pitching help when the trade deadline rolls around, especially if the AL East race stays as tight as it is now. Even the Boston Red Sox are within 5.5 games of first place.

Haren will be appealing for the Yankees because he's a guy that could slide in and be a solid No. 2 starter behind CC Sabathia, which is something the Yanks really don't have right now. They'd have to give up a nice package of prospects to get him, but they could make it easy on themselves by agreeing to take on most or all of Haren's remaining salary.

There are, however, some barriers to overcome here. If the Yankees get consistent production out of Pettitte and Hughes, they're more likely to be looking for bullpen help at the trade deadline. Even if they are looking for starting pitching, would the Angels really be open to providing the Yankees with a top-of-the-rotation starter?

So I'd label the Yankees as a possible trade partner, but not a likely one.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals' starting rotation has been a pleasant surprise this season. They've gotten surprisingly good work out of Lance Lynn and Jake Westbrook, and they're currently among the league leaders in the National League with a 3.21 rotation era, per FanGraphs.

When I look at the Cardinals now, I see a team that is going to have every excuse to stand pat at the trade deadline. They have a strong team, and the NL Central looks like it could be theirs to lose.

Things won't be so simple by the time we get to July, of course. The Reds haven't really peaked yet, so the Cardinals will surely be looking for ways to fend them off. Moreover, the Chris Carpenter situation could take a turn for the worse.

At last check, the word from MLB.com is that Carpenter's return likely won't come until after the All-Star break. If something goes wrong and it becomes apparent that Carpenter won't be coming back, the Cardinals will have to look and see what's out there on the trade market.

Haren, of course, came up through the Cardinals' system. That same farm system is among the strongest in baseball today, giving the Cardinals a lot of chips they can deal if they decide they need to boost their roster for the stretch run.

Once again, moving to the National League would work in Haren's favor. Just as important, he'd be joining a team that has made a habit out of fixing troubled pitchers.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have gotten some very good work out of their starting rotation this season. Their talented young pitchers have made good on the hype.

However, the Blue Jays lack a veteran starting pitcher who they can trust to be an ace in a playoff chase. That issue could prove to be their undoing if they don't fix it.

Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos is a crafty one. The word from Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe is that he's kicked the tires on Cole Hamels, and one AL general manager said that the Jays are looking to do "something big."

A trade for Haren would definitely qualify as "something big." He's exactly the kind of veteran starter the Jays need in their rotation, and he's a guy who could be a difference-maker in the postseason race in the AL East.

The Blue Jays have a very, very strong farm system. If they decide they can win now, they'll have the assets to make a better offer for Haren than anyone else.

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