MLB Trade rumors: Chris Archer sweepstakes leaders emerging
We’re just two days away from MLB’s trade deadline, and MLB trade rumors are heating up.
Both buyers and sellers are getting caught up in the hullabaloo of widespread MLB trade rumors, and one of the bigger names floating around is Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer.
The 29-year old Archer has a 4.31 ERA on the season, though his peripheral stats look better (3.62 FIP, per Fangraphs) and he has developed the reputation as a strong pitcher over the last few seasons.
Since 2014, Archer has never had a season in which he didn’t accumulate at least 3.0 WAR or throw at least 194 innings. He was also named to the All-Star team in both 2015 and 2017.
And those numbers come while playing in arguably the most difficult division for a starting pitcher: the American League East.
What would probably most appeal to teams about Archer, though, is his contract.
Archer is set to make $7.5 MM in 2019, and $8.25 MM in both 2020 and 2021.
These costs come well below the current market value for a top or even middle-rotation piece through free agency, and the years of control certainly have to be enticing for prospective buyers.
And it seems as though some of those buyers are emerging as the frontrunners.
Marc Tompkin of the Tampa Bay Times came out late Saturday with a report that specified three teams above the others that are “considered the most interested” in Archer’s services.
Luckily for the Rays and their understandably-high asking price, the three teams all have elite farm systems.
Here’s a look at those alleged frontrunners.
The New York Yankees
Why they should:
Though they just acquired J.A. Happ recently, this is a team that is going for it all in 2018.
They’ve seen some struggles from Sonny Gray this year, and could be looking to move him to other teams who would have interest. This would open up a rotation spot that Chris Archer could fill quite nicely.
The Yankees also have the tall order of trying to chase down the Boston Red Sox in the AL East to avoid playing a one-game, win-or-go-home Wild Card showdown. Upgrading the rotation with Archer might be the key piece to give the Pinstripes the push down the stretch to win the division.
Why they shouldn’t:
The cost for Archer will be high for anyone but expect it to be highest for the Yankees, an AL East division rival. Tampa Bay surely won’t pass over its ace for a lesser return package, only to face him multiple times over the next three seasons.
There’s also this issue – the Yankees certainly want Chris Archer, but do they need him? If New York can’t work a Gray trade out, they’d have a logjam of starting pitchers. Potentially moving Gray out of the rotation to be a long-man out of the bullpen would greatly diminish his trade value if they tried to move him in the winter.
The Atlanta Braves
Why they should:
The Atlanta Braves sit within 3 games of the lead in the NL East, and within 2 games of the last NL Wild Card spot. They are squarely in the hunt with just a couple of days before the deadline, and have yet to make any real significant moves.
The pitching has seen its struggles, especially of late. Julio Teheran has pitched poorly for most of the year, and the fifth starter spot has been a bit of a revolving door. Not to mention the bullpen is one of the worst of teams currently considered “contenders”.
Chris Archer would greatly solidify things to give the rotation a puncher’s chance in October, but for a team working its way out of a three-year darkness that has been their rebuild, now could be the time to seize a prized rotation arm for the years to come.
Why they shouldn’t:
The rebuild is just as big of a reason why they shouldn’t as it is why they should pursue an expensive (in terms of prospects) piece like Archer.
GM Alex Anthopoulos has been extremely careful about parting with too many of the top prospects Atlanta has spent so much time drafting and developing over the rebuild.
“There’s a lot of pain that has gone into putting together this young talent,” Anthopoulos continued. “We’re not ready to throw that all away just because of one season.
It’s a fair point: the Braves return to contention is taking place a year ahead of schedule here in 2018. Might they be better suited to wait until winter to make an Archer-like addition?
The San Diego Padres
This one is by all accounts a bit of a head-scratcher, but the interest is there. Jon Heyman even went as far to report that San Diego is “the possible favorite”.
Why they should:
San Diego boasts an MLB-best ten prospects in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, so if it came down to a bidding war, they most certainly have the parts to entice the Rays in exchange for Archer.
There’s also the expectation that perhaps this team is closer to contention than what their current status would indicate.
They’ve got a few position players already under control for the years to come, including Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers, not to mention a flurry of younger guys that could be key pieces as they seek to contend.
Where they’re lacking more, in terms of player control, is in the starting pitching department. Archer makes sense if the Padres are serious about being a threat in 2019.
Why they shouldn’t:
The move might be a year (or two) too soon for a team that is currently sporting the worst record in the National League.
True, the Padres have a stacked farm system, but banking on most of those pieces to come together in such short order for 2019 contention is perhaps unrealistic and not the way that rebuilds typically work.
GM AJ Preller made headlines in the 2014-2015 offseason when he added James Shields, Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Craig Kimbrel. The story was that the Padres were ready to challenge for the NL Pennant, and that plan failed miserably, as San Diego finished 74-88.
Jumping the gun at building a champion before the franchise was completely ready for it burned the Padres once before, and that experience should most certainly be considered before making a swap for Chris Archer.
Next. Trade Deadline Guide. dark
There are three teams that might be the favorites, according to MLB trade rumors, for Chris Archer as the trade deadline nears. Where should he go? Comment below!!