Ranking Garrett Crochet and Top 10 Starting Pitchers on the Summer MLB Trade Market
After Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Jordan Montgomery, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Michael Lorenzen and Jack Flaherty were among the starting pitchers dealt at the trade deadline last year, this summer is shaping up to be another busy one on the pitching market.
While there might not be any future Hall of Famers on the move this time around, there are several arms capable of being a game-changing addition to any team's starting staff for the stretch run and beyond.
How the next few weeks play out for teams such as the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays will go a long way in determining how robust the list of available arms will be.
For now, we've highlighted the top 10 starting pitchers expected to be available on the summer trade market, focusing on players who have at least a 50/50 shot of being dealt ahead of the deadline.
Let the rumors swirl.
In case you missed it: Ranking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Top 10 Hitters on the Summer MLB Trade Market
Honorable Mentions
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These starting pitchers did not quite crack our top 10, but they could all be on the move to contenders this summer:
RHP Paul Blackburn, OAK
RHP Chris Flexen, CWS
LHP Austin Gomber, COL
RHP Dakota Hudson, COL
LHP Sean Manaea, NYM
RHP Nick Martinez, CIN
LHP Martín Pérez, PIT
LHP José Quintana, NYM
LHP Trevor Rogers, MIA
There is less than a 50/50 chance these guys are traded, but they're worth keeping an eye on:
RHP Chris Bassitt, TOR
RHP Zach Eflin, TB
RHP Kyle Gibson, STL
RHP Sonny Gray, STL
RHP Zack Littell, TB
RHP Lance Lynn, STL
RHP Nick Pivetta, BOS
LHP Blake Snell, SF
RHP Justin Verlander, HOU
10. RHP Trevor Williams, Washington Nationals
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Stats: 11 GS, 5-0, 2.22 ERA (2.80 FIP), 1.08 WHIP, 16 BB, 47 K, 56.2 IP, 1.9 WAR
If not for the question of whether he will return from the injured list in time to prove he's healthy before the trade deadline, Trevor Williams would rank significantly higher.
The 32-year-old was the surprise recipient of a multi-year deal from the Washington Nationals prior to the 2023 season, signing a two-year, $13 million contract. He struggled to a 5.55 ERA while giving up an NL-high 34 home runs in 144.1 innings last year, but he was the team's best starter through the first two months of this season.
After picking up the win with 5.2 innings of four-hit, one-run ball against the Atlanta Braves on May 30, he hit the injured list with a flexor muscle strain in his right forearm, which can sometimes be a precursor to Tommy John surgery.
There has been no indication to this point that he is headed for surgery, but there is also no timetable for his return. His strong start and team-friendly $7 million salary will make him an in-demand trade chip if he returns healthy in the coming weeks.
9. RHP Frankie Montas, Cincinnati Reds
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Stats: 13 GS, 3-5, 4.62 ERA (4.53 FIP), 1.39 WHIP, 26 BB, 49 K, 60.1 IP, 0.5 WAR
The last time Frankie Montas was traded at the deadline, he ended up pitching a grand total of 41 innings with the New York Yankees over the final two months of the 2022 season and the entire 2023 season.
The 31-year-old signed a one-year, $16 million deal during the offseason as one of the market's more intriguing reclamation projects, and he ended up earning the Opening Day start as a veteran leader to a young Cincinnati Reds pitching staff.
Montas is no longer missing bats like he did in his prime with the Oakland Athletics, but he can still be a solid back-end starter for a contender with middle-of-the-rotation upside if his stuff starts to tick back toward his pre-injury form.
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8. RHP Cal Quantrill, Colorado Rockies
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Stats: 15 GS, 6-5, 3.43 ERA (4.34 FIP), 1.30 WHIP, 33 BB, 59 K, 84.0 IP, 2.9 WAR
With a wealth of starting pitching options and a tight budget, the Cleveland Guardians designated Cal Quantrill for assignment at the start of last offseason following a 2023 season where he logged a 5.24 ERA in 99.2 innings over 19 starts.
The pitching-starved Colorado Rockies jumped at the chance to acquire a young, controllable starter with a track record of success, sending prospect Kody Huff to Cleveland in a Nov. 17 trade.
Quantrill, 29, has posted a career-high 47.0 percent ground-ball rate that has served him well at Coors Field. He has never been much of a strikeout pitcher which limits his upside, but he is controllable through 2025 so he represents more than just a two-month rental.
7. LHP Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Angels
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Stats: 14 GS, 6-6, 2.58 ERA (4.69 FIP), 1.19 WHIP, 38 BB, 58 K, 87.1 IP, 3.6 WAR
The Los Angeles Angels would be wise to sell high on Tyler Anderson this summer, but will contenders be willing to buy his early success given the questionable peripherals behind his terrific 2.58 ERA?
The 34-year-old was a first-time All-Star in 2022 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he parlayed that success into a three-year, $39 million deal with the Angels in free agency as they looked to bolster an underperforming rotation.
Anderson had a 5.43 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 141 innings in his first season with the team, but he is again pitching at an All-Star level this year, checking in seventh among qualified AL starters in ERA.
His .225 batting average on balls in play and 87.0 percent strand rate are both unsustainable marks, and his 4.69 FIP speaks to the likely regression to come.
Add to that a $13 million salary on the books for next year and trading him could prove a bit tricky, though he is still capable of making a major impact for a contender if his early success holds up.
6. RHP Luis Severino, New York Mets
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Stats: 14 GS, 4-2, 3.52 ERA (4.19 FIP), 1.20 WHIP, 31 BB, 61 K, 84.1 IP, 0.9 WAR
Who wants to buy a ticket to the Luis Severino roller coaster?
- May 18 (@ MIA): 6.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
- May 25 (vs. SF): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
- May 31 (vs. ARI): 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
- June 5 (@ WAS): 8.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
- June 13 (vs. MIA): 6.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
- June 18 (@ TEX): 6.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
That's three quality starts and three absolute duds, and while it had been more good than bad prior to that stretch, he will need to string together a good run of starts to be viewed as anything more than a low-level rental by contenders.
The 30-year-old is playing on a one-year, $13 million deal this season.
5. LHP Yusei Kikuchi, Toronto Blue Jays
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Stats: 15 GS, 4-6, 3.65 ERA (3.57 FIP), 1.25 WHIP, 19 BB, 83 K, 81.1 IP, 0.8 WAR
It's been a mixed bag for Yusei Kikuchi over the course of his three-year, $36 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.
After pitching to an ugly 5.19 ERA in 100.2 innings while getting relegated to the bullpen during his first season with the team, he rebounded last year with a 3.86 ERA and a career-high 181 strikeouts in 167.2 innings.
The 33-year-old southpaw has been even better this year, posting a career-best 95.6 mph fastball velocity and generating a whiff rate of at least 25 percent with his entire four-pitch repertoire.
The 3.57 FIP backing his 3.65 ERA provides plenty of reason for optimism going forward.
4. RHP Jack Flaherty, Detroit Tigers
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Stats: 13 GS, 4-4, 3.01 ERA (2.62 FIP), 0.95 WHIP, 11 BB, 100 K, 77.2 IP, 2.2 WAR
If the Detroit Tigers ultimately decide to sell, Jack Flaherty will be the top rental starter on the market this summer.
Still only 28 years old, he looked like an ace on the rise when he put together a brilliant second half for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2019 to finish fourth in NL Cy Young voting in his age-23 season.
However, injuries limited him to 154.2 total innings over the next three seasons, and while he stayed healthy last year, the results were hit-and-miss as he finished with a 4.99 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 148 strikeouts in 144.1 innings with the Cardinals and Orioles.
The Tigers rolled the dice on a one-year, $14 million deal in free agency and he has been terrific, ranking among the AL leaders in ERA (3.01, ninth), WHIP (0.95, fifth), strikeouts (100, third) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.6, second).
3. RHP Erick Fedde, Chicago White Sox
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Stats: 15 GS, 5-1, 3.09 ERA (3.45 FIP), 1.17 WHIP, 23 BB, 83 K, 87.1 IP, 3.4 WAR
Once upon a time, Erick Fedde was the No. 18 overall pick in the 2014 draft and a top prospect in the Washington Nationals' system. He peaked at No. 52 on the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list prior to the 2017 season.
After posting a lackluster 5.41 ERA over 454.1 innings in six seasons with the Nationals, he was unable to secure an MLB deal in free agency prior to the 2023 season and instead went overseas to join the NC Dinos in the KBO.
The 31-year-old went 20-6 with a 2.00 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 209 strikeouts in 180.1 innings to take home the KBO equivalent of the Cy Young and MVP awards, and that breakout success earned him a two-year, $15 million deal in free agency.
His breakthrough has carried over to his stateside return, and aside from his strong numbers this season, his team-friendly $7.5 million salary for next year makes him an extremely attractive target for 2024 contenders and teams on the fringe eyeing a potential 2025 rotation upgrade.
2. LHP Jesús Luzardo, Miami Marlins
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Stats: 12 GS, 3-6, 5.00 ERA (4.25 FIP), 1.25 WHIP, 22 BB, 58 K, 66.2 IP, 0.8 WAR
Left-hander Jesús Luzardo was one of the top pitching prospects in baseball during his time in the Oakland Athletics' system, but when he didn't find immediate success in the big leagues, he was flipped to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Starling Marte at the 2021 deadline.
After posting a 3.32 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 100.1 innings in his first full season in Miami, he put together a true breakout performance last season when he finished 10-10 with a 3.58 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 208 strikeouts in 178.2 innings, stepping into the role of staff ace after Sandy Alcántara went down with an injury.
Luzardo has not enjoyed that same level of success in the early going this year, but his past performance, swing-and-miss stuff and the fact that he is still only 26 years old with club control through 2026 makes him a blockbuster trade chip.
The Marlins announced they are open for business with the Luis Arraez trade, and they are expected to sell aggressively in July.
1. LHP Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox
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Stats: 15 GS, 6-5, 3.16 ERA (2.72 FIP), 0.90 WHIP, 19 BB, 116 K, 82.2 IP, 3.1 WAR
The Chicago White Sox have not done much right this year, but moving Garrett Crochet into the starting rotation has been a stroke of genius.
The 24-year-old was a starter at the University of Tennessee, but the White Sox expedited him to the majors in a relief role just a few months after he was taken No. 11 overall in the 2020 draft, and his first career start in the big leagues came on Opening Day this season.
Armed with a fastball that has averaged 96.8 mph, a hard cutter and a wipeout slider, he has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season.
Crochet had not allowed more than two earned runs in nine straight starts heading into Wednesday's outing, posting a 1.36 ERA, 0.74 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 53 innings while limiting opposing hitters to a .149 batting average during that span.
With club control through 2026 and his stock on the rise, he could bring back an even bigger return than Dylan Cease did in the deal that sent him to the San Diego Padres in March.
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