Mike Leake
The Mike Leake experiment needs to end in the desert. Leake is an above-average pitcher entering his 11th year in the league at age 32. The goal for the Arizona Diamondbacks is to get younger in the rotation and add arms who can compete with the Walker Buehler‘s of the rest of the league.
Leake did okay, but only okay. He was 3-3 with a 4.35 ERA in 10 starts. The team needs to turn him into a couple of prospects or good role players to a team in desperate need of veteran leadership in the rotation. Even if they could get a good bullpen arm or two, it would be worth it.
Those numbers line up with what Leake has done his entire career. He is 105-98 through 11 seasons with a 4.05 ERA with 1,231 strikeouts in 296 career starts.
With those career numbers, it might be hard to get something good in return, but the team needs to try. He just doesn’t fit into any type of long term plans the ball club has.
Unfortunately, one thing is for certain and that is Leake is not a part of the future with the D-backs. They need to simultaneously improve and get younger to set them up for the near future.