Phillies rumors: Should the team jump into Gerrit Cole trade talks?

The Pirates are starting to shop their prized right-hander Gerrit Cole. Should the Phillies try to acquire the 27-year-old?

It’s no secret the Phillies need to improve their rotation desperately. With spring training fast approaching, the window to acquire a starter is closing.

The latest pitcher to become the center of the hot stove is Pittsburgh’s Gerrit Cole. Specifically, it has been reported that the Astros are engaged in trade talks with the Pirates for Cole. It was thought they had a deal in place, but those reports turned out not to be true.

Cole has had a strong career since making his major-league debut in 2013. He has a career 3.50 ERA, 3.27 fielding-independent pitching, and 3.62 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In 2015, he was an All-Star and finished fourth in Cy Young voting after posting a 2.60 ERA, 4.59 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and 5.5 wins above replacement according to Fangraphs.

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2017 wasn’t as strong of a year for Cole. He struggled with the long ball for the first time in his career, giving up 31 home runs in 33 starts. He allowed home runs on 15.9 percent of fly balls, a much higher rate than any previous season in Cole’s career. This led to a career-high 4.26 ERA.

Even with Cole’s below-average 2017 by his standard, he is still regarded as one of the better pitchers in all of baseball.

He is certainly a top-of-the-rotation arm and an ace when he is at his best. The Astros recognize this and want to add him to their already-stout starting rotation.

It may seem like a longshot now, but should the Phils try to jump into acquiring Cole from the Pirates? They have a farm system to rival Houston’s as well as strong major-league talent.

It has been reported that outfielder Derek Fisher has been a part of the discussion. He was Houston’s No. 7 prospect according to Fangraphs heading into 2017 but hit .212 in 53 games. The Astros’ top two prospects per MLB.com, outfielder Kyle Tucker and righty Forrest Whitley, could also be part of the deal.

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This likely means Philadelphia would have to give up one of their major-league outfielders, most likely Nick Williams. They would probably also have to part with some of their top prospects like Scott Kingery, Sixto Sanchez, or Adonis Medina.

Cole has two years left of team control before he hits free agency. Would the Phils be willing to part with some of their top talent for two years of Cole? They may not even be serious playoff contenders by 2019, and most of the players they would have to trade for Cole will help the team far beyond then.

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Ultimately, this may all be moot as the Astros appear to have zeroed in on Cole. It may be worthwhile for Philadelphia to check in on Cole, but the price may be too high for just two years of Cole when he may not even contribute to a legitimate playoff team.