Reviewing the potential bullpen trade targets of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves Relief Options, Part 2
TIGERS – JOSE CISNERO
If they were in the NL East, the Tigers might actually be competitive… despite losing 2 in a row, they sit at 47-53 entering play on Sunday. But that’s 12 games out in the AL Central and while in third place, the White Sox won’t be caught and even a Wild Card berth is out of the question.
So here’s a pitcher in Jose Cisnero whose ERA (2.83) is better now than it was when we checked in 3 weeks ago (2.91). That despite a 2-earned-run hiccup against the Twins on the 10th of July.
With that in mind, Cisnero has been brilliant this Summer: 14 of 15 appearances with no runs allowed. That would be nice.
By fWAR, Cisnero’s the best that Detroit has in their relief crew: Gregory Soto (LHP) would be another candidate (2.70 ERA in 40.0 innings/42 games, but he’s 26½ and has a ton of years with team control remaining.
Cisnero should be affordable since he’s 32 years old, despite being under team control for another two full seasons.
MARINERS – JT CHARGOIS and PAUL SEWALD
A funny thing happened on the way to July… the Mariners have started winning. And they’ve done that on the strength of their bullpen, of which JT Chargois and Paul Sewald have been an integral part.
So this weekend, Seattle has beaten Oakland in 2 of 3 games of a critical series. The finale is now underway (Oakland up 2-0 early), but starting on Monday, Seattle puts their 7-games-over-.500 record up for grabs when they face Houston.
So who knows if they’re going to sell at all?
UPDATE: They beat Oakland on Sunday (3 of 4 times in the series)… and word is that they are after Whit Merrifield. Translation… probably not selling.
If they ultimately do… both Chargois (with his 2.15 ERA) and Sewald (2.37) are definitely still well worth the effort.
ORIOLES – COLE SULSER and PAUL FRY
Yes – the Orioles have gamely tried their best this year, but at 33-64, reality set in quite a while ago… despite going 5-5 in their last ten games (just like Pittsburgh).
Paul Fry is the younger of this pair of birds (he turns 29 this week), and since he’s a lefty, I need to repeat the comments given above regarding Chasen Shreve.
I should also note this his ERA (3.58) is essentially the same as it was 3 weeks ago… that thanks to allowing 2 runs at the hands of the White Sox on July 11.
Other than that… Fry has been almost squeaky clean: not only not allowing any other runs, but also wiping out opponents without allowing a base-runner in 4 of his last 6 appearances.
On the 23rd, he white-washed the Nationals with 3 strikeouts while facing 4 batters in a 1.1 inning stint.
Cole Sulser is 31, but his 3.00 ERA is quite serviceable, and he shares something in common with Paul Fry… both had trouble with the White Sox.
Otherwise, he hasn’t been as crisp lately as Fry has been, but he’s still a candidate to be moved elsewhere via a cheap deal.
While both pitchers are worthy of being trade targets, I would rank them lower in the overall pecking order on this list.