#3: Sean Doolittle
Left-handers are a hot commodity on the relief trade market, and Athletics reliever Sean Doolittle is no exception. Doolittle, who was an All-Star in 2014 but missed nearly all of 2015 with shoulder issues, is back in form this season.
The 29-year-old lefty has pitched just over 24 innings so far and owns a 2.59 ERA. He’s struck out 32 batters in 28 appearances, and he’s certainly on an upswing. To start the year, Doolittle blew a save and lost his closer job to Ryan Madson, who was originally slated to split ninth-inning duties with Doolittle on a platoon-matchup basis.
After the early April dramatics, Doolittle settled in nicely and has become the go-to left-hander in the A’s bullpen. Although Madson has pitched well enough to retain the closer’s job, Doolittle would be a good fit on nearly any roster in the eighth or ninth inning.
The downside with Doolittle is that he’s less than a year removed from a serious shoulder injury, but he seems fully healthy this season. He’s signed through 2020 and owed just over $20 million, but the contract is a team-friendly one. Doolittle is only guaranteed about $7 million of that through 2018, with the remaining money and final two years being team options.
Potential Landing Spot: Cleveland Indians
Doolittle could be a good option here. While they would normally run from such a lengthy contract, the team options make Doolittle the perfect candidate for Cleveland, since that is similar to how they structure their own deals. The Indians are also desperately in need of left-handed relief help, as they’ve had to go with an all right-handed bullpen at times this season.
Next: The Eccentric Closer