6 starting pitchers the Cleveland Guardians should target ahead of the Trade Deadline

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The starting rotation of the Cleveland Guardians has certainly received plenty of attention this season. Spring Training saw Gavin Williams deal with inflammation in his right elbow that delayed his 2024 debut, and then the Guardians lost Shane Bieber for the season after just two starts. Meanwhile, the duo of Tanner Bibee and Ben Lively have carried Cleveland's pitching staff. At the same time, Cleveland has gotten up and down starts from veteran Carlos Carrasco, providing some much-needed stability at times and disappointing outings at others.

The biggest issues have been the performances of Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen. Neither player has pitched up to their skill level, making it somewhat impressive the Guardians have gotten off to the start they have. Both players are currently in Triple-A, attempting to fix their issues with the hope they can return and be key members of Cleveland's pitching staff down the stretch and in the postseason. While that would be the best-case scenario for the Guardians, they cannot depend on that happening. Cleveland's front office must recognize their obvious need for some proven rotation help that can help them increase their lead in the American League Central and carry them deep into the postseason. The following six names could be on the move at the upcoming trade deadline and would be worth exploring as possible additions to the Guardians' rotation.

1. Erick Fedde - Chicago White Sox

It certainly seems like the Chicago White Sox are going to trade both Garrett Crochet and Erick Fedde, with the former more than likely being out of Cleveland's price range and the latter being more attainable. The Guardians have apparently shown interest in acquiring Fedde, according to a recent report from Cleveland.com's Terry Pluto. This does not come as a surprise, considering Cleveland's need for pitching help and Fedde's performance on the mound this season.

Fedde is not a star by any means, and there should be some level of caution exercised when evaluating his performance thus far. The 31-year-old veteran is in the midst of a career year with the White Sox after spending the 2023 season in the KBO. With a 3.13 ERA and 1.129 WHIP, Fedde would make an excellent addition to a Guardians pitching staff that is already reaping the rewards of a previously overlooked veteran who played overseas (Ben Lively).

The concern with Fedde lies with his career numbers in the majors prior to this season. From 2017-2023, Fedde owned a career 5.41 ERA and 1.523 WHIP in 454.1 innings pitched. There is a real possibility that Fedde could revert to his previous form rather than continue what he has shown this season given his career up to this point. If the Guardians truly believe that what he has shown in 18 starts for Chicago this season is his true form, nothing should prevent them from attempting to make a trade.

Obviously, there is going to be some level of difficulty in acquiring his services from the White Sox, Cleveland's American League Central division rival. More than likely they will have to pay an in-division tax to trade for Fedde, but that should not prevent Cleveland from attempting to do so.

2. Yusei Kikuchi - Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays appear to be a team destined to sell at the deadline, and they also happen to have a starting pitcher who will be a free agent at the end of the season that should be on the radar of the Cleveland Guardians. Yusei Kikuchi.

The 33-year-old Kikuchi has never been a dominant arm in his career, sporting a 4.61 ERA and 1.374 WHIP in his six seasons in Major League Baseball. There has been one aspect of his game that has been intriguing since his second year, strikeouts per nine. Dating back to 2020, Kikuchi is averaging 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings, and that is something that is always in demand from a pitcher. Being able to strike out opposing batters will never go out of fashion and would be a welcome addition to the current group of Guardians starters.

Even though Kikuchi is not the most talented starting pitcher available, that does not mean he would not be able to be a positive acquisition for the Guardians. Kikuchi would help elevate the floor of the staff and be a way to ensure some level of stability in the middle of their rotation in the event that Triston McKenzie and/or Logan Allen are unable to fix their issues in Triple-A.

3. Max Scherzer - Texas Rangers

Even though the Texas Rangers are not a clear seller at this point, there is a very real scenario that sees them fall out of both the American League West and Wild Card races. Should that happen, they could be enticed to part ways with Max Scherzer.

Scherzer did have a delayed start to the 2024 season, but that has not stopped him from picking up where he left off previously. With eight runs allowed while striking out 17 and walking three, Scherzer has impressed in his 23.1 innings of work. Granted, three starts are far from a large sample size, but it is encouraging to see him come out and pitch well after missing most of the season's first half.

Unlike a few other names in this list, Scherzer is someone with a proven track record in the postseason and that is something that the Guardians would love to have in their rotation. With a 3.78 ERA and 1.154 WHIP in 143 postseason innings, Scherzer would be someone who would be able to guide the mostly young Guardians pitching staff and hopefully lead them on a deep postseason run.

In terms of the likelihood of acquiring Scherzer, it is probably in the slim-to-none area in the realm of possibilities. But if Scherzer is indeed made available, the Guardians should definitely make an inquiry.

4. Tyler Anderson - Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels are a complete mess right now, and that is a description that applied to them when they had the services of both Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani available to them. Los Angeles is going to continue their freefall into complete irrelevance. But the good news is that they may be able to get a solid return for one of their veteran pitchers who has been a bit of a surprise this season in Tyler Anderson.

Anderson has a 2.81 ERA and 1.179 WHIP in 112 innings this season, notably better than his career averages of 4.19 and 1.271. The 34-year-old veteran lefty is one of the few trade chips the Angels have, and they would be wise to see what they can get for him at the deadline, even though there is some belief they may not be sellers for some bizarre reason.

While Anderson has been able to put together some solid numbers on the surface, there are two areas that suggest a correction could be coming, strikeouts per nine and FIP. With just 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a 4.53 FIP, Anderson has pitched well above his skill level up to this point in the season. A pitcher can only be effective for so long with a lower strikeout rate and a FIP that sits in between average and below average. If the Guardians believe that their defense is going to be able to overcome any regression that Anderson might experience, he would make a solid addition to the middle of their rotation.

5. Nathan Eovaldi - Texas Rangers

Another option from the Texas Rangers if they end up deciding to sell would be Nathan Eovaldi. There have been rumors about his potential availability and plenty of teams should be interested if the Rangers are looking for trade offers for the veteran righty. Eovaldi would give a contending team a top-of-the-rotation arm that could help carry them into and through the postseason.

The 34-year-old currently has a 3.10 ERA and 1.034 WHIP in 87 innings, with 8.8 strikeouts per nine.

Unlike the previously mentioned Max Scherzer, Eovaldi has fewer career innings to his name, which could play a factor late in the season and the playoffs. Scherzer is coming off an injury that kept him out of action until recently, while Eovaldi has made 15 starts this season. Considering the age difference between the two, this could be something that may sway a team to choose Eovaldi over Scherzer.

Obviously, there is going to be an obstacle when it comes to possibly making a deal for Eovaldi, as he is younger than someone like Scherzer and may cost a little more to acquire. This may make a team like the Guardians a bit hesitant to make a deal and explore other options available to them. But if the price is not too steep, Cleveland should definitely look to acquire the two-time World Series Champion.

6. Frankie Montas - Cincinnati Reds

Once upon a time, Frankie Montas was viewed as someone who could be a difference maker in a pennant race and maybe even someone who could take home a Cy Young Award at some point. A lot of things have changed since then, and now he finds himself pitching for a Cincinnati Reds team that is just far enough out of the mix right now that they might consider selling but also close enough that they may look to ride things out as is. If the Reds end up falling out of the race and look to trade Montas, the Guardians should be a team looking to make a deal for his services.

Montas has a 4.19 ERA and 1.319 WHIP in 77.1 innings this season, with 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings. While none of these are overpowering numbers by any means, they would help bolster a rotation in Cleveland that has seen plenty of lackluster outings from Logan Allen and Triston McKenzie.

Compared to some other names that may be available at the MLB Trade Deadline, Montas may not be considered someone who will put a team over the top, but he could be someone who maintains a level of stability beyond the first couple of starters in the rotation, and that could go a long way for the Guardians at this point in time.