Fantasy Baseball: Trevor Cahill and 5 Starting Pitchers to Pick Up or Trade for
For starting pitching in fantasy baseball, names like Tim Lincecum, Ubaldo Jimenez, Felix Hernandez and Roy Halladay top the charts.
However, a handful of starting pitchers who may have slipped under the radar during fantasy drafts have gotten off to great starts.
Though some of these pitchers may have been picked up as free agents, they could be candidates as trade options.
Here are five starting pitchers fantasy owners should pick up for trade for.
5. Kyle McClellan, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
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Kyle McClellan found himself in the right place at the right time this offseason.
St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery, which opened a spot in the rotation for McClellan.
McClellan was mostly a reliever last year, but has thrived in a starter’s role this season.
He’s sporting a 4-0 record with a 3.79 ERA in six starts.
As the Cardinals bats continue to heat up, the pitching has also been strong with McClellan in the thick of things.
He won’t strikeout a ton of batters, but he will post wins if given some run support.
4. Jason Hammel, RHP, Colorado Rockies
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Like the Cardinals, the Colorado Rockies are playing great baseball, especially on the road.
Before Ubaldo Jimenez returned from injury, Jorge De La Rosa and Jhoulys Chacin picked up the slack.
However, Jason Hammel has quietly been just as good on the mound. He’s 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA, and has given up just 11 runs in six starts.
Colorado’s offense has been clutch, so Hammel should keep putting up wins if he pitches well.
3. Kevin Correia, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
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The Pittsburgh Pirates (15-17) have been quite a surprise after a putrid 2010 season.
Kevin Correia has filled the role of Pittsburgh’s ace nicely after a few mediocre few seasons with the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres.
He’s off to a 5-2 start with a 2.91 ERA. He may not get the run support of some other pitchers, but he had still been an effective force on the mound.
He was likely a pitcher that was passed over in fantasy drafts. While he might have been picked up in some leagues, he could be a viable option in a cheap trade.
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2. Zach Britton, LHP, Baltimore Orioles
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Zack Britton has taken the baseball world by storm since his first career start earlier this season.
In six starts, he’s posted a 5-2 record with a 2.93 ERA.
It will be interesting to see how the young Britton adjusts once hitters start making adjustments to him.
He’s another guy that certainly wasn’t a high fantasy draft option. If he’s still available, Britton would be a great candidate to take a chance on.
1. Trevor Cahill, RHP, Oakland Athletics
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Unlike the other pitchers on this list, Trevor Cahill was most likely off the fantasy draft boards within the first few rounds of many leagues.
However, he’s the guy that fantasy owners should be salivating to pick up.
Cahill leads a young Oakland Athletics’ staff consisting of Brett Anderson, Dallas Braden and Gio Gonzalez—similar to the days of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Rich Harden and Barry Zito.
Cahill, the A’s lone All-Star from last season, is off to a 5-0 start with a minuscule 1.79 ERA. Of all the pitchers on this list, Cahill can rack up in the strikeout department.
He’s definitely a pitcher to trade for if possible.
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