Atlanta Braves: 3 possible under the radar starting pitcher trade targets

The Free Agent starting pitcher market is flush with arms, but given other needs, having a cost reduction option can’t be a bad road to investigate.

If the Atlanta Braves truly want to bolster their pitching staff this off-season, then perhaps there are some trade deals out there that are not tied to having the highest monetary bid or a Qualifying Offer.

Granted, if the team is looking for an impact player – and that seems a certainty – then such trade options are few, far between, and expensive.

That also makes them unlikely… but between a determined Alex Anthopoulos and a ripe farm system, the Braves are as poised as anyone to be able to leverage such a deal.

Nonetheless, these three are all ‘under the radar’ precisely because they are unlikely… but that does not at all make them undesirable as rotation targets.

UPDATE:  why is this important?  Because of smoke like this coming from the Hot Stove just this afternoon:

Candidate Criteria

In looking for such options, the basis for this survey was a search for young, controllable starting pitchers who have already been performing well for their clubs… but perhaps their personal timing in doing so doesn’t work for the club.

These may be teams entering a rebuild phase, teams that will be entering one in the next year or two, or clubs already in the midst of that with a strong pitching asset that may be out of their control by the time they are ready to compete again.

In particular, we’re looking for those with proven innings over the past couple of years, above average results, and 2+ years of team control remaining.

Let’s start with one that looks to be a possible diamond-in-the-rough.

Marco Gonzales, Mariners

• LHP
• Years of control: 4
• Contract: already signed for 2020, still arbitration eligible otherwise
• Agents: CAA Sports
• Age: turns 28 in mid-February
• Home: Fort Collins, CO (Rockies would love him back)

Marco Gonzales is still emerging as a starter, and may not end up being better than he’s been (certainly the scouting numbers don’t paint a particularly rosy future picture for the southpaw), but there’s reasons to think the former Cardinals 19th overall pick could blossom elsewhere.

Gonzales pitches in the strike zone (2.48 BB/9 in 2019, 1.73 in 2018) and while he’s not missing a lot of bats (roughly 7 K/9 innings), there is the fact that he’s pitching in Seattle… one of the worst fielding teams in the majors.

His ‘stuff’ isn’t particularly remarkable, but here’s where a pitching coach might see something to change, for a bit more movement on all his pitches could go a long way to seeing quick and dramatic improvements.

Despite all of that, Gonzales still managed a 3.99 ERA over the past 2 seasons… in the AL… in an AL West that can be rough on pitchers.  That’s been good enough for a combined 5.7 bWAR (or 7.1 WAR via fangraphs), which is 23rd best in the majors over that period of time.

Seattle… needs a lot, and because Gonzales looks decidedly average (despite above average results), they might even entertain moving a pitcher with this much control left.

Heck, with Jerry DiPoto making the calls, he’d trade his own mother without losing sleep.  Maybe a package deal with Mitch Haniger? Can’t hurt to ask.