Potential Red Sox trade deadline targets: Starting pitchers

The July 31 MLB trade deadline is only a week away, and Dave Dombrowski and company are looking at any and all options to improve the Red Sox for the stretch run. On Monday, we looked at potential relief pitcher targets. Today, we look at starting pitching. 

With uncertainty surrounding Eduardo Rodriguez' injury and questions regarding Drew Pomeranz (who returns Tuesday night) and Steven Wright (who's still working his way back from injury), the Red Sox could decide that adding to their rotation is something they need to do. Here are some potential options:

J.A. Happ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to CBC Sports’ Bob Elliot, the Red Sox sent scouts to Toronto this past weekend to watch J.A. Happ pitch. The lefty went five innings and allowed only one run. Happ has a 4.29 ERA and a 10-6 record on the season. The Yankees and Dodgers are both reportedly interested in obtaining Happ, which could create a bidding war that keeps the Red Sox away, but the fact that Happ is 35 and a pending free agent could keep the price somewhat manageable. The veteran has been pretty good for the last several years, and could be a fairly safe addition if the Sox managed to pull off a deal. 

Cole Hamels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Red Sox have been linked to Rangers lefty Cole Hamels, another veteran rental who could be moved before the July 31 deadline. Hamels hasn't been his usual self this season, as he's 5-9 with a 4.72 ERA. The Red Sox were interested in Hamels in 2015 -- back when he was much better -- but their bid came up short and Hamels was sent to the Rangers instead. Still, several teams have reportedly shown interest in Hamels, thought it's unclear what kind of return the Rangers would be expecting.

Dan Straily 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Red Sox have also been linked to Miami Marlins righty Dan Straily (along with Marlins relievers Kyle Barraclough and Adam Conley). The 29-year-old is 4-4 with a 4.02 ERA and 1.31 WHIP for the Marlins and is set to become a free agent after the season. He could come a bit cheaper than Happ given that he doesn't have the same kind of track record.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Red Sox were one of several teams evaluating Tigers righty Mike Fiers during his last start on Saturday. The 33-year-old veteran has experience a bit of a renaissance in Detroit this year, posting a 3.49 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 7-6 record. Fiers was teammates with J.D. Martinez in college at Nova Southeastern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt Harvey has turned his season around a bit since getting traded from the Mets to Reds in May. Now that he has some value, the Reds could be looking to trade him before he hits free agency after the season. The 29-year-old starter is 5-6 with a 5.21 ERA overall this season, and 5-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 starts with Cincinnati.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard are obviously the Mets starters that get people the most excited, but Zack Wheeler is probably far more likely to actually get moved. The 28-year-old is 3-6 with a 4.44 ERA this season. He missed two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery and had an underwhelming season last year when he returned. He's far from the ace he showed flashes of becoming when he was younger, but he could provide depth further down the rotation.

Nathan Eovaldi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to MLB.com’s Bill Chastain, the Red Sox were scouting Rays righty Nathan Eovaldi earlier this month. The 28-year-old pitcher missed all of the 2017 season and the beginning of this season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Since returning, he is 3-4 with a 4.26 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 10 starts, which has been good enough to put him on some contenders' radars.

Chris Archer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Tampa Bay Ray whose name has been getting thrown around is Chris Archer. The Rays still have control over Archer for the next couple years, so they'd probably be fine with keeping him if they don't find the right deal. Archer has a 4.30 ERA this season -- well above his career mark of 3.69 -- and has struggled mightily against the Red Sox in his career, particularly at Fenway. Perhaps the Red Sox think he could be better for them than against them, or perhaps they'd be happy to see him go to the rival Yankees, who are rumored to be interested in the righty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Red Sox reportedly showed interest in Padres righty Tyson Ross back in 2015 along with his then-teammate, Craig Kimbrel. The Red Sox, of course, ended up with Kimbrel and have obviously been happy with how that's worked out. Ross, meanwhile, missed nearly all of the 2016 season and a chunk of the 2017 season due to injury. The 31-year-old has come back with a 4.29 ERA and 1.29 WHIP this season, still a ways off his best years from 2013-15. He's on a very manageable 1-year, $1.75 million deal, though, so perhaps the Sox would be willing to bring him on as rotation depth. The Yankees have also been linked to Ross.