Henry Roldán
Once the All-Star Game is over, the 2022 Major League Baseball MLB trade deadline will pick up more steam. The contending teams will try to equip themselves for qualification, while others will trade important pieces with the upcoming season in mind.
As a result, here is a list of pitchers who are expected to change teams in the near future, as well as what they can bring to the table.
Top Candidates to Be Moved During the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline
Frankie Montas
The departure of Frankie Montas from the Oakland Athletics is imminent, and the question that remains to be answered is to which team the Dominican starter will go.
Despite having shoulder pains last week, they do not appear to be serious, and he is surely an intriguing card to bolster any rotation of a team with postseason aspirations, with the added benefit of not becoming a free agent until after 2023.
While his record is 3-9, let’s remember that Montas plays for the Athletics, the team with the worst record in the Major Leagues. An example of this is that nine of his 17 starts have been quality outings, and he has a 3.26 ERA with 100 strikeouts after 96.2 innings.
Luis Castillo
Yes Luis Castillo was already on the radar of teams like the Yankees and Dodgers after his opening at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, when he pitched seven innings of one-run, two-strikeout ball against one of the league’s most potent offenses.
After a rather complicated 2021 season with out-of-control problems, the Cincinnati Reds starter has returned to his best this season with nine quality starts in 13 outings, four of them in a row.
In 78 innings, his effectiveness is 2.77, he has allowed only five home runs and has 82 strikeouts with a WHIP of 1.077.
Tyler Mahle
The Reds are going nowhere this season and another of their pitchers, Tyler Mahle, could be an interesting bargaining chip as he will not become a free agent until after 2023.
The 27-year-old pitcher has thrown under 4.00 over the last two seasons, and despite a 4.48 ERA in 2022, he has worked at least six innings in six of his last seven outings, allowing no more than three runs in one of them.
Mahle is known for his ability to strike out, with 210 strikeouts last season and 102 this year after 92.1 innings.
José Quintana
Drawing on his 11 seasons of major league experience, Colombia’s José Quintana is getting some fresh air in his career thanks to his performance with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
While he has not been able to go far in his appearances, the right-hander has a 3.59 ERA after 85.1 innings and projects to finish 2022 as his best year on the mound since being called up to the All-Star Game in 2016.
Martin Perez
It is not very clear what position the Texas Rangers will take in the trade market as they are neither too far from nor too close to the postseason berths, so the departure of Martin Perez from the team is not entirely clear.
The Venezuelan, who will become a free agent at the end of the season, is in the best performance of his Major League career and if available on the market will surely be sought after by several teams.
Perez has not struck out much, but his sinker and changeup have wreaked havoc on opponents to give him a 7-2 record and 2.58 ERA after 111 innings pitched .
Noah Syndergaard
The Angelinos’ debacle has them completely out of postseason contention, and thus some pieces could come off in the coming weeks, including starter Noah Syndergaard.
“Thor” is not the same pitcher of previous seasons with the Mets, but he still has velocity on the mound and enough talent to strengthen several rotations. The right-hander has 14 starts with Anaheim, in which he has a 4.00 ERA and 58 strikeouts after 74.1 innings.
