Yes, the Cleveland Guardians entered play on Monday with a 59-39 record, sitting at the top of the AL Central with a five-game cushion over the Minnesota Twins and the Kansas City Royals.
Yes, they have been elite this year.
However, they need to add one or two reliable pitchers before next week’s trade deadline, or they risk losing everything they have built in 2024.
Shane Bieber is injured and lost for the year, Logan Allen and Triston McKenzie are in Triple-A after performing poorly for weeks, and backend options like Carlos Carrasco or Spencer Howard have been inconsistent.
These three arms should be available at the deadline and could move the needle for Cleveland:
Erick Fedde
Chicago White Sox’s starter Garrett Crochet could be the coup of the deadline for the team that acquires him.
That team, most likely, won’t be the Guardians: the acquisition cost would be too high because Crochet is young, controllable, and excellent; and teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles can and will outbid Cleveland anyway.
Instead, the Guardians should target Erick Fedde, Crochet’s teammate.
Fedde has a very solid 2.99 ERA in 111.1 frames, by far a career-best.
His cutter has taken a step forward and unlocked success for him, and he could be significantly cheaper to acquire than Crochet.
Of course, there will be competition for him, but Cleveland has the means to bring him in.
He could be a substantial upgrade.
Jack Flaherty
Flaherty isn’t the cheapest of rentals, but he is a rental nonetheless.
That makes him a viable trade candidate for a team like the Guardians; and he has had a renaissance this year with a 7-5 record, a 3.13 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and a 127/17 K/BB ratio in 100.2 innings.
The right-hander has a history of shoulder issues, but has been mostly healthy in 2024 and could be the closest thing to an ace the Guardians have in the second half.
Tarik Skubal would be ideal, but the Detroit Tigers likely won’t trade him.
Cleveland should direct their energy into bringing in his teammate.
Tyler Anderson
Tyler Anderson isn’t as bad as his 5.43 ERA in 2023 suggests.
However, he isn’t as good as his current 2.97 ERA indicates.
In any case, Anderson is something in between, and much closer to 2022 and 2024 than what he did in 2023.
What does this mean? Well, he could be a solid pitcher with an ERA in the threes for the Guardians, and God knows the team needs a reliable innings eater.
There will be plenty of suitors knocking on the Los Angeles Angels’ door, but the Guardians have the human resources to land him.
NEXT: 3 Hitters The Guardians Should Target Ahead Of Trade Deadline
