Phillies: Jose Quintana an intriguing trade option
The Phillies might need to get creative to find a left-handed starter
Phillies general manager Matt Klentak entered this offseason with a laundry list of things to accomplish. He’s already upgraded left field, shortstop, the bullpen, and first base in a trade with Seattle and signing Andrew McCutchen.
Aside from acquiring a superstar bat Klentak’s biggest need is a left-handed starter. The club struck out on J.A. Happ and Patrick Corbin because they didn’t want to give each an extra year.
Remaining on the free agent market is Dallas Keuchel, but there is concern regarding his age and drop off after winning a Cy Young in 2015. The former Astros ace is considered not just the top southpaw starter, but the best overall after seeing Corbin and Happ go off the board.
If Klentak was unwilling to go three years with Happ or six with Corbin, it’s tough to see him push the years on Keuchel coming off a 3.74 ERA season.
Robbie Ray and Mike Minor have been mentioned on the trade market, and Ray makes sense with the Diamondbacks needing an outfielder, something the Phillies have an excess of. Minor would be a cheaper option, but he doesn’t bring the big name excitement fans have been waiting for this offseason.
Jose Quintana, on the other hand, could give the Phillies and their fans something to get excited about.
Chicago has seven quality starting pitchers going into 2018, and most of them are locked in for a couple of years. Jon Lester is set through 2021, Yu Darvish has player options through 2023, and Kyle Hendricks has two years of arbitration eligibility. On top of those three, Cole Hamels is signed through this season and Mike Montgomery is entering his first year of arbitration.
Tyler Chatwood signed a three-year deal last offseason, and while he struggled the Cubs have him for two more years swinging between the bullpen and rotation.
Chicago indicated earlier in the offseason they were willing to move players to clear salary and add pieces to their farm system. They have just one prospect in MLB Pipeline’s top-100 rankings.
They’ve made a handful of minor moves but did nothing at the winter meetings.
The likeliest player Chicago could move is Quintana given he has two years of control at a decent value. Chatwood’s contract is stuck in their books for two years and Darvish won’t opt out of any of his remaining years.
Montgomery showed he can work out of the rotation with a 3.69 ERA in 19 starts, filling in as the number five guy, assuming Darvish is healthy.
While Quintana is young and controllable, he’s expendable coming off a down season, and Philadelphia has the player equity to acquire him.
If Chicago is wary of letting go a member of their rotation, Philadelphia has several young, controllable starters they can swing back to Chicago.
Vince Velasquez, Zach Eflin, and Nick Pivetta are all valuable trade chips this offseason. Rumors suggest the organization has been unwilling to move Eflin, even for a superstar bat. Regardless, there are several young pitchers for the Cubs to pick if they want insurance for their rotation.
In terms of prospects in a potential trade, the Cubs likely won’t get back the same value they coughed up for Quintana back in 2017. Philadelphia has the ability to offer competitive deals in a stagnant market with three of the top-70 prospects in baseball.
Pitcher Adonis Medina’s name has come up constantly in trade talks dating back to the deadline discussions for Manny Machado. Ranger Suarez and Enyel De Los Santos opened some eyes in the rotation last year, and Cole Irvin is knocking on the doorstep.
Eighteen of the Phillies’ top-30 prospects are pitchers, giving Chicago plenty of options.
There are plenty of bats to go around as well, including two of Philadelphia’s more recent first-round picks: Adam Haseley and Mickey Moniak. Haseley feels like a player who could reach the big leagues quickly coming out of college, while Moniak, the number one overall pick in 2016, is still developing.
I don’t see Chicago wanting any of Philadelphia’s big league outfielders in a trade, and their bullpen is strong enough not to need a pricey option like Tommy Hunter.
Philadelphia wants an established top-three for their rotation, and Quintana could be a bounce-back candidate. He’s given up only one home run in three starts at Citizens Bank Park and the Phillies can have him for two years.
Klentak has pushed for a left-handed starter while being cautious with the years, not wanting to put the organization in a hole down the road. Quintana is locked in for next year and has a team option with a $1 million buyout for 2020.
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Aaron Nola, Jake Arrieta, Jose Quintana, Nick Pivetta, and Zach Eflin aren’t the Four Aces rotation that dominated for the Phillies, but it’s a formidable group with a blend of youth and experience.
Chicago can cut back some payroll and pick up young players for both their major league roster and minor league system.
Both teams are in “win-now” mode, although Philadelphia is clearly a couple of steps behind the Cubs, who are perennial championship contenders under Joe Maddon.
Phillies should focus on the bullpen, not the rotation. dark. Next
If the package of prospects is strong enough, it’s hard to see the Cubs unwilling to make a move with a pitcher who hasn’t lived up to their expectations.