Is Cleveland Guardians pitcher Zach Plesac on the trading block?

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Zach Plesac is putting together a serviceable season, currently sporting a 4.09 ERA in 18 starts (99 innings).

It was a rough start to the year, but since May 30, Plesac has a 3.07 ERA and a 3.52 FIP in a stretch that included seven straight quality starts. So it might come off as a bit of a surprise to find out his name is being mentioned in potential trade rumors as the deadline looms next week.

But at the same time, this could be the perfect moment to trade the former 12th-round-pick, who has had his shares of ups and downs over the past few seasons.

Why Would the Guardians Trade Zach Plesac?

Despite the solid recent stretch, there are plenty of reasons for Cleveland to entertain the notion of trading Plesac. His Statcast percentiles are still relatively grotesque this season, and his xBA (.284) and xERA (5.43) suggest there could be a regression coming for him. However, at this point, he has a career ERA of 3.97, making the 27-year-old a very serviceable starter for just about any rotation in the majors.

The most enticing thing about Plesac is his contract status. He’s under team control until 2026, only just now becoming arbitration-eligible this offseason, which would no doubt make him a key asset for a rebuilding team looking towards the future.

Who Would Be Interested in Plesac?

There is likely no shortage of teams that would take young, controllable pitching. The Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles – these are just a few teams that will be active at the trade deadline who would no doubt jump at the chance to acquire Plesac. The good news is they all have pieces the Guardians could certainly use as well.

What About Aaron Civale – or Even Shane Bieber?

On another note, if Cleveland is entertaining offers for Plesac, the Guardians are no doubt considering moving Aaron Civale as well. There just might not be much of a market for a guy with a 6.17 ERA who is currently on the IL. But he’s controlled through the 2025 season as well, and that could certainly mean something for a rebuilding team.

As for Shane Bieber, well, you can pretty much forget about that one. The asking price would be out of this world, and one would have to think the Guardians haven’t completely given up on making one last run at an extension for him. So while teams might inquire about Bieber’s services, the fact is the Guardians wouldn’t make a deal unless it was a deal far too good to pass up.