This week's mailbag gets into potential starting pitcher trade targets for the Cubs, possible left-handed bats for the Astros, which Rangers have trade value, infield options for the Yankees, and the Mets' reported connection to Luis Robert Jr.
Colin asks:
As great as Colin Rea and Matt Boyd have been this season, the Cubs need more starting pitching, especially with Steele out for the year and Imanaga out for a couple more turns through the rotation. Sandy Alcantara seems like an obvious shout, but he has struggled so far this year. Who else could the Cubs feasibly target?
Marc asks:
Do you think the Cubs can survive til the trade deadline considering the perilous situation their in with starters?
I do think the Cubs can survive until the trade deadline with a rotation of Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea, Ben Brown, and Jameson Taillon, with Imanaga probably rejoining sometime in June. I also don't think they have much of a choice, as sellers rarely make early deals.
But yes, the Cubs need to add a starter this summer. Boyd has not topped 88 innings in a season since 2019, a threshold he's projected to reach on June 25th. I made the case in March that Boyd's recent injury history doesn't necessarily mean he can't get to 150+ innings, but he is 34 and the Cubs' depth can't be pushed much further. Ben Brown has never exceeded 104 innings, and he's on pace to get there by the end of July. Cade Horton's career high is 88 1/3 innings in 2023. In his next outing he'll pass last year's total of 34 1/3 frames.
The following teams have less than a 1% chance at the playoffs, so most of them could probably be persuaded to trade a starting pitcher now: the White Sox, Nationals, Marlins, Pirates, and Rockies. The Angels belong here as well, but since they're 4.5 games out of a wild card, perhaps they'll need more time to wave the white flag. Here's a look at starting pitchers who might be available from these clubs:
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