Ranking Zac Gallen and Top 10 Starting Pitchers on the Summer MLB Trade Market
Walker Buehler and Lucas Giolito were each once among the sport's elite pitchers, but even if the Boston Red Sox sell in advance of the July 31 trade deadline, it's hard to think they'll get much for either righty.
Buehler closed out the World Series for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, and the Red Sox bet that the further he moved from his second Tommy John surgery, the better he would get. Instead, he's massively underperformed on his $21.1 million free-agent deal. The two-time All-Star has a 5.95 ERA and 5.34 FIP across 12 starts this season.
Meanwhile, Giolito is in the second season of a two-year, $37 million deal. He missed the entire first season after undergoing an internal brace procedure on his right elbow. Also a former All-Star, Giolito has a 4.73 ERA and 3.96 FIP in nine starts this season.
Giolito and Buehler will each turn 31 before the trade deadline, and both can become free agents after the season. Their fallen value goes to show you how quickly things can change, because it wasn't that long ago that both of these arms were consensus top-10 pitchers in the sport.
Giolito and Buehler didn't quite make the list, but here are our top 10 starting pitchers who could be on the summer MLB trade market.
Watch Friday Night Baseball, only on Apple TV+
Tonight, it's the New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies at 7:15 p.m. ET and the Kansas City Royals vs. San Diego Padres at 9:40 p.m. ET.
10. Adrian Houser, Chicago White Sox
1 of 10
Adrian Houser didn't join the White Sox organization until May 20, but he's pitched well enough since signing that he's going to garner interest from teams looking to bolster the back end of their rotation.
The 32-year-old righty has a minuscule 2.15 ERA over 29.1 innings spanning five starts. It's unlikely he's going to be able to keep up that pace, but his 3.48 FIP and 3.21 expected ERA don't suggest that a massive fall-off is coming.
Houser is a player worth taking a shot on for a team that needs to improve its starting rotation just to get into the postseason. For the White Sox, they'll get a lottery ticket in the lower levels of the minors back, and hope it comes up aces.
9. Andrew Heaney, Pittsburgh Pirates
2 of 10
Andrew Heaney isn't going to overpower you, but he's managed to be really successful this season for the Pirates despite his average fastball velocity being just 90.1 mph.
The 34-year-old lefty is having one of the finest campaigns of his career, with a 3.33 ERA across 78.1 innings pitched this season. He's probably not someone you trade for expecting him to start a postseason game, but he would unquestionably be a back-end-of-the-rotation upgrade for some teams fighting to get into the postseason.
There are some red flags with Heaney, though. Both his 4.72 expected ERA and 4.42 FIP suggest some regression is on the way. Both are metrics worth considering in evaluating him as a trade candidate.
8. Nick Martinez, Cincinnati Reds
3 of 10
The Reds issued a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer to Nick Martinez last offseason after he posted a 3.10 ERA and 3.21 FIP over 142.1 innings in a career year a season ago.
Rather than test free agency, Martinez accepted the offer. He hasn't necessarily matched his 2024 success, but with a 3.92 ERA and 4.02 FIP over 80.1 innings this season, he's still an effective middle-of-the-rotation option.
What's perplexing about Martinez is he has a 2.52 ERA in six home starts this year at Great American Ballpark, which is typically a nightmarish place for pitchers. On the road, he has a 5.04 ERA in eight starts.
At the time of publication, the Reds are above .500, so they may hold onto Martinez. But if they fall out of things and are willing to absorb some of the money still owed to Martinez, the 34-year-old will definitely have suitors.
.png?w=256)
7. Tomoyuki Sugano, Baltimore Orioles
4 of 10
It's been a disastrous season for the Orioles, but Tomoyuki Sugano has been one of the few silver linings.
The 35-year-old rookie—whom the Orioles gave $13 million to make the jump from Japan—has a 3.38 ERA across his first 14 MLB starts.
So why isn't Sugano higher on this list? Well, his 4.85 expected ERA and 4.70 FIP are black storm clouds hovering over his sunny ERA. Also, as the Orioles try to break into the Japanese market, they might want to hold onto Sugano and attempt to re-sign him for 2026.
But if the O's end up listening on Sugano, general manager Mike Elias will definitely get calls on him.
6. Edward Cabrera, Miami Marlins
5 of 10
Edward Cabrera has a 4.28 career ERA, but with a five-pitch arsenal that includes a 96.3 mph sinker, he's going to be one of the more intriguing starting pitchers on the market this summer.
Across 11 starts this season, Cabrera has posted a 4.10 ERA and 4.01 FIP with 9.9 K/9. That profile makes him interesting, and there will no doubt be teams who think they can get more out of Cabrera than the lowly Marlins have.
Cabrera probably isn't the right fit for a team that's hell-bent on winning a World Series this year. But if you're a team that's contending and think your window will be open for the next few years, Cabrera makes sense because he's only 27 years old and can't become a free agent until after the 2028 season.
5. Zach Eflin, Baltimore Orioles
6 of 10
The Orioles may hold onto Sugano, but Zach Eflin—who is also in a contract year—feels like a pretty sure bet to be traded by general manager Mike Elias.
With a 4.81 ERA and 5.01 FIP this season, it's been a struggle for Eflin. However, he had a 4.09 ERA last year with the Tampa Bay Rays before being traded to the Orioles. After joining the O's, Eflin went 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA in nine starts. He could benefit from a change of scenery in a similar fashion this year.
Eflin has struggled this year, and has a fairly extensive injury history. But he also has postseason experience with three different teams, and pitched like a front-line starter in the not-so-distant past. He'll garner interest from plenty of contenders.
4. Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks
7 of 10
The Diamondbacks are hovering around .500, but are fourth in a loaded NL West and have lost former NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes for the year to Tommy John surgery. It's not a guarantee that the Snakes are sellers, but it might make the most sense.
If general manager Mike Hazen does decide to sell, it's not going to entail moving long-term pieces like Corbin Carroll, Ketel Marte and Geraldo Perdomo. But Merrill Kelly, who is 36 years old and in a contract year, would make sense to move.
After being limited to just 13 starts last season, Kelly is 6-3 with a 3.41 ERA and 3.23 FIP across 87 innings this year. Considering Kelly posted a 2.25 ERA in four starts for the Diamondbacks during their run to the World Series in 2023, he'll definitely get interest from clubs looking to add another pitcher who can take the ball in a postseason game. He probably fits best on a younger club that doesn't have a ton of playoff experience, as he can not only bolster their rotation, but also add a veteran presence with October experience.
3. Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks
8 of 10
You can essentially copy and paste everything said about Kelly and put it here. Gallen is in his walk year, and chances are after signing Burnes last winter, the Diamondbacks aren't going to give Gallen a huge deal of his own this year. So trading him now makes sense.
Between 2022 and 2024, Gallen was one of the best pitchers in baseball, posting a 3.20 ERA and 12.2 WAR, which FanGraphs says was seventh among all starters over that period.
Gallen has struggled this season, with a 5.19 ERA and 4.90 FIP in 15 games. He would be another guy you're hoping that with a different set of eyes on him and the chance to pitch in the postseason again turns things around. And considering he'll only turn 30 in August, there's no reason he shouldn't rebound from a disappointing first half.
Obviously, Gallen will need to pitch better to improve his free-agent stock in the offseason. But getting traded would also make him more appealing in the offseason, because players who are moved during the season aren't eligible to receive the qualifying offer.
2. Sandy Alcántara, Miami Marlins
9 of 10
Let's start with this: the thought here is that the Marlins should hold onto Sandy Alcántara. In his first year back from Tommy John surgery, he has a 6.88 ERA in 14 starts. He's under contract for $17.3 million next season, with an affordable $21 million club option for 2027. The Marlins would be selling low if they traded him now.
With all that acknowledged, the Marlins are a dysfunctional organization. They sold low on Jesús Luzardo last offseason, and it's entirely possible they are going to get what they deem to be a fair offer for Alcántara this offseason and jump on it out of fear that his value may only continue to go down.
The former NL Cy Young Award winner will be an interesting consideration for contenders. His contract makes him a multi-year investment, and if he's even a good No. 2 moving forward, his contract will be very team-friendly. But it's hard to be certain Alcántara will be a key cog in helping you win a World Series this year given how he's pitched thus far. So teams aren't going to offer today what they might in the offseason if Alcántara looks like the old version of himself in the second half of the season.
At his best, the 29-year-old is one of the few true workhorses in the sport. He's not even close to his best right now, but Alcántara is still going to be one of the most coveted names on the market.
1. Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers
10 of 10
The Brewers are above .500, putting them very much in the mix for both the NL Central and one of the three NL wild-card spots. Would they really trade their most accomplished starter? Given that they dealt Josh Hader during the season three summers ago, it can't be ruled out.
If Freddy Peralta is available, virtually every contending team will be interested, although it's fair to assume the Brewers would like him out of the NL Central, if not the senior circuit altogether.
Peralta, 29, has a 2.60 ERA in 15 starts this year. Not only is he making a comically-low $8 million this year, but he has a matching $8 million club option for 2026. He may be more like a 1B option on a World Series contender, but that's fine considering there are No. 4 starters making more money than him.
.png?w=480)
