Blue Jays: Ranking The Top 10 Potential Trade Targets

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CLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 30: Starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco #59 of the Cleveland Indians pitches during the first inning of Game Two of the American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees at Progressive Field on September 30, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

#5-SP Carlos Carrasco

Back to the rotation with another arm in Carlos Carrasco. Cleveland is a cheap team in a normal year, but with the loss of revenue from this past season, they are going to have to take their cost-cutting measure to the next level this offseason. They’ve already done this by saying that they are going to trade franchise player Francisco Lindor, who is going to be their most expensive player next year, making around 20 million dollars. Barring any free agent moves, Carrasco is set to be Cleveland’s second-highest-paid player next season as he is going to make 12 million dollars. If Cleveland is willing to trade a player of Lindor’s caliber, I don’t see why they wouldn’t be willing to trade Carrasco as well.

Carrasco has been an excellent pitcher for Cleveland over the last 12 years, posting an ERA+ over 100 seven times and over 120 five times. Carrasco may have had the best season of his career last year posting a 2.91 ERA, a 1.206 WHIP, a 10.9K/9 ratio, and a 157 ERA+ over 12 starts. He is going to be 34 next year and is under contract for three more years, so it’s hard to imagine he’ll continue to be an elite pitcher through the rest of his contract. However, he is a strike-thrower and his fastball spin has improved over the past 5 seasons according to StatCast so those are two things you bet on, and hope he can continue it.

Potential Trade

TOR receives SP Carlos Carrasco; CLE receives SS Santiago Espinal, SP Adam Kloffenstein, and SP Sem Robberse

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