14. J.A. Happ
It is amazing how much of a difference a trade can make.
While J.A. Happ was having a solid year with the Blue Jays, he was a middle tier starter, the type of pitcher that could get a two or three year deal without causing much of a reaction. No one would expect Happ to be a key component on a winning franchise as a top of the rotation starter. Then, he was traded to the Yankees, where he had an impressive run over the final two months of the season.
Overall, Happ posted a 17-6 record with a respectable 3.65 ERA and a 1.131 WHiP, striking out 193 batters against 51 walks in 177.2 innings. He made his first All Star Game last season, a tribute to his solid performance in Toronto. However, with the Yankees, Happ turned into a star, posting a 7-0 record with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.052 WHiP, striking out 63 batters with 16 walks over 63.2 innings.
Happ’s track record shows what he has been – a middle of the rotation arm who is capable of providing approximately 30 starts a season. Yet, those two months may lead to an overpay, with some team gambling on a renaissance in the latter part of his career. At 36 years old, that seems highly unlikely.
J.A. Happ comes with some risk, depending on his anticipated role. As a middle of the rotation arm, he is a solid option. But to be a second starter? That is asking for trouble.