MLB Trade Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz After 2023 Winter Meetings
In the wake of the MLB Winter Meetings, the trade market is as hot as ever, with teams checking in on starting pitching and award-winning arms as they gear up for a legitimate pursuit of a World Series title.
Tyler Glasnow, Corbin Burnes, Shane Bieber, and Dylan Cease are all players whose names have been linked to different suitors by respected insiders.
Dive deeper into those reports with this collection of MLB rumors.
White Sox "Pulling Back" on Dylan Cease?
Jon Heyman of the NY Post reported, "Rivals are suggesting the White Sox are "pulling back" on Dylan Cease trade talks. What they're likely doing is waiting to see who misses out on the coveted Japanese star Yamamoto. Still thought to be a good chance Cease is dealt."
It is a wise move for the White Sox front office. There will be plenty of action regarding Cease once Yamamoto decides where he will play. Why execute a trade now for less than they might otherwise get once it becomes clear who still needs starting pitching?
Cease is not exactly a player to be dealt haphazardly, either. Despite a down year in 2023, he is a Cy Young runner-up from 2022 and a guy whose stuff is still borderline great when he is playing at his best.
In his best season, Cease had an ERA of 2.20, a WHIP of 1.1, and accounted for 6.4 wins above replacement. Even a season ago, with an ERA more than double that of his best work, Cease was still worth 2.4 wins more than the White Sox would have achieved without him.
There will be five or six teams who miss out on Yamamoto who will be more than eager to make a deal with Chicago to attain a pitcher with a career win percentage of .551.
A change of scenery, and a team committed to winning, may be exactly Cease needs to get back to competing for Cy Young awards as one of the best pitchers in the game.
Multiple Teams Interested in Tyler Glasnow
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported that the Braves, Dodgers, and even some AL East teams have reached out about a trade for Tyler Glasnow (h/t MLBTradeRumors).
Starting pitching is the most coveted position in the sport and the pursuit of Glasnow, not only by contending teams but those in the same division as the Tampa Bay Rays, is proof of as much.
Glasnow may not have been as good as he has been in previous years in 2023, but he was still a 10-win starter who pitched more innings in a single season than ever before (120) and a 4.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
He was the unquestioned ace for a Rays team that made the playoffs. His performance in the postseason is better left undiscussed as he waited until the most inopportune time to have the worst game of his year.
Still, he is one of the most sought-after trade pieces because of his best stuff and the overall desire to attain starting pitching in a sport in which teams with it typically compete for the World Series.
It is not at all surprising that division champs like the Braves or Dodgers, or even teams in the Rays' division are calling about Glasnow. He could be the difference maker for either of the former two, whose pitching struggles almost certainly cost them the NL pennant, and teams within the division know more than anyone how good he can be on the mound.
The Rays, as they have countless other times throughout their existence, are going to make a deal and score a nice haul in return for the right-handed pitcher. In return, one team will be closer to its goal of a world title.
Angels Looking for Starting Pitching
Fabian Ardaya and Sam Blum of The Athletic reported, "The Angels have scanned and engaged in discussions on multiple fronts over a wide variety of starting pitchers, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. That has included targets such as Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber, Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes and Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow, among others."
If the Angels cannot re-sign Shohei Ohtani, the team will need to replace what the reigning MVP of the American League brought to the mound, so it is not at all surprising that they would be all about the pitching market.
Ohtani went 10-5 with an ERA of 3.14, tallied 167 strikeouts, and had a WHIP of 1.06. He did allow the most walks of his career at 55 but considering he ultimately had surgery on his arm to repair an ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, even that number is somewhat impressive.
Even with Ohtani, though, the team was seventh-worst in MLB with a team ERA of 4.64 and gave up the sixth-most home runs in the sport at 209. They were not good on the mound, collectively, so it is no surprise that the Angels have made it a goal to secure starting pitching.
Bieber went 6-6 with an ERA of 3.8 and a WHIP of 1.23 with the Guardians while Burnes was 10-8 with a WHIP of 1.07 and an ERA of 3.39. They were not dissimilar players, but Burnes played some of his best ball down the stretch and certainly earned the attention of teams looking to bolster their rotation.
The Angels will likely do their diligence, determine which player best fits what they are looking to accomplish, and decide which is in their price range in regards to what they have to give up to acquire them.
Whether they can complete a deal with high-profile opposition like the Dodgers, Braves, Giants, Blue Jays, and Orioles all looking for pitching, remains to be seen.