MLB: Intriguing Possible 2016 Free Agent Pitchers

1. Johnny Cueto – Cincinnati Reds

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Depending on where the Cincinnati Reds are when the 2015 trade deadline arrives will determine how quickly ace Johnny Cueto leaves town. Trading for outfielder Marlon Byrd and sending pitcher Mat Latos to the Miami Marlins makes it a little unclear as to where the Reds see themselves in the standings for the 2015 season. Injuries ruined them last year, which may have helped leave a bit of a bad taste in Cueto’s mouth about staying around.

Cueto was one of the few exceptions for the 2014 Reds. He had a career year, winning 20 games with a 2.25 ERA and a league leading 242 strikeouts. He also finished second in NL Cy Young voting behind only Clayton Kershaw.

Cueto is an incredibly valuable trade piece for the Reds. If they have any sense of building for the future and no chance at retaining him, Cueto will be wearing another big league uniform before the trade deadline.

2. Rick Porcello – Boston Red Sox

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Who is the Opening Day starter going to be for the 2015 Boston Red Sox? Some think it’s Rick Porcello. After a career year in 2014 with the Detroit Tigers, Porcello became a main target for the Red Sox in the 2014-2015 offseason. They have him now with his immediate future still up in the air.

Two things to know about Porcello is that he’s young and he has a healthy track record. Since debuting in 2009, he has never started fewer than 27 games in a season. He’ll pitch in the 2015 season as a 26-year-old, meaning he still has room to grow.

Porcello won’t get a huge payday unless he absolutely dominates in his inaugural year with the Red Sox. His age makes him incredibly valuable for any team looking for young talent to sign long-term.

3. Hisashi Iwakuma – Seattle Mariners

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Japanese import Hisashi Iwakuma never gets credit to the same level as teammate Felix Hernandez, even though both have an identical career 3.07 ERA. That’s just one statistic, though, and it’s hard to argue against Hernandez’s case as the best pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. Still, Iwakuma is a pitcher many teams would love to have.

Iwakuma has spent a very small portion of time in Major League Baseball. He’s only been pitching for the Mariners since 2012 a year in which he split time as a starter and relief pitcher. In 2013 he finished third in the AL Cy Young award voting and made a name for himself.

The biggest downside is that any team giving Iwakuma a contract will be handing it to a 36-year-old. Therefore unfortunately for Iwakuma, his age will limit length of his next contract, the dollars amount, and the number of suitors interested no matter how well he pitches in 2015.

4. Tim Lincecum – San Francisco Giants

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Not long ago, Tim Lincecum hitting free agency would have been a huge deal. Consecutive Cy Young awards in 2008 and 2009 made him one of the most feared pitchers in baseball. Since 2012, he hasn’t been the same.

Over the last three seasons, Lincecum has a 4.76 ERA. His innings pitched and strikeouts are down while his WHIP and home runs allowed are up. With other options available as starting pitchers for the San Francisco Giants in 2014, Lincecum was eventually moved to the bullpen.

After falling out of favor with the Giants, “The Freak” is going to need to find a team willing to take a risk on him for the 2016 season and possibly beyond. One alternative teams may consider is trying Lincecum out as a closer. Because Lincecum still does have dominant starts on occasion, it might be worth the experiment.

5. Doug Fister – Washington Nationals

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In his first season with the Washington Nationals in 2014, Doug Fister made the Detroit Tigers question their motive for trading him. Due to injuries, Fister was only able to start 25 games, but in spite of this he still finished eighth in Cy Young award voting and won 16 games.

The market for Fister won’t be as high as it will be for others available. This could change based on his productivity and health in 2015. Since joining the Tigers midway through the 2011 season, Fister is 48-26.

Fister is not someone who will likely ever have 200 strikeouts in a season, though he remains one of the more intriguing pitchers in need of a contract for the 2016 season.

6. Jeff Samardzija – Chicago White Sox

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It’s a good thing pitcher Jeff Samardzija didn’t burn any bridges on his way out of Chicago when the Cubs traded him last season to the Oakland Athletics. He’s now back in Chi-Town, this time pitching for the crosstown rival Chicago White Sox.

Samardzija is going to be an interesting free agent. Plenty of hype surrounded him last year and expectations are high for him again in 2015. He has only three seasons as a full-time starting pitcher and not very many remarkable numbers. The lack of wins can be blamed to the poor play of the Cubs, however, his ERA in the last three seasons is still 3.70 with a 1.20 WHIP. His career year in 2014 was strong enough to help rob the Athletics of top infield prospect Addison Russell.

Although things didn’t work out for the Athletics after acquiring the 29-year-old right-hander, teams still seem to consider Samardzija a desirable arm. He’s probably not going to win a Cy Young, but when he becomes a free agent he may receive a deal not far behind what an award winner makes.

7. Jordan Zimmermann – Washington Nationals

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On any other team than the Washington Nationals, Jordan Zimmermann would be a number one or number two starter. Instead, with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg present, he’s probably getting pushed down to third in a very good rotation.

Since 2011, Zimmermann is 53-33 with a 3.00 ERA. Back-to-back top 10 finishes in NL Cy Young voting are also on his resume along with a no-hitter he pitched on the last game of the 2014 regular season. Since the Nationals have so much money already wrapped up in the starting rotation, Zimmermann has a good chance at finding out his true value in free agency. When he does sign with a new team, he won’t yet be 30.

A big payday is on its way to Zimmermann, but first he has to try to win a World Series in the nation’s capital.

8. Mike Leake – Cincinnati Reds

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In addition to Johnny Cueto, the Cincinnati Reds also have to make a decision about Mike Leake. Leake is a guy they thought so highly of they brought him right up to the big leagues in 2010 without playing a single game in the minors. However, he hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations. In five seasons, Leake is only 53-42 with a 3.92 ERA.

Leake is in a very similar situation as Rick Porcello of the Boston Red Sox. He’ll pitch as a 27-year-old in 2015 before free agency comes around. Over the last two seasons, Leake has showed signs of improvement, as he’s 25-20 with a 3.54 ERA.

At best, Leake is suited as a solid third starter. For his wallet, age is his best friend. Someone may be convinced that he still has much better days ahead.

9. David Price – Detroit Tigers

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You can guarantee one thing in the 2016 free agent class and it’s that David Price will get the biggest contract. As one of baseball’s best pitchers over the last five seasons, teams are already excitedly rubbing their hands together at the mere thought of having Price pitch for them.

Currently, Price is a member of the Tigers where he was just 4-4 with a 3.59 ERA in 11 starts in 2014 after joining them in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays. There’s a chance that in spite of how he pitches in 2015, Price ends the year somewhere other than Detroit. The Tigers have so much money wrapped up in other places that Price is probably just not affordable. He’s likely to average in the neighborhood of $30 million a season for an extended period of time.

The price for Price is going to make his bank account look really nice.

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