Braves just became first team needing a starter

[bpilktree]

Mike Soroka out for year with Achilles tear.  Alex Cobb could be an option as a veteran starter if he is healthy and pitches the way he has so far. 

[Ruzious]

Oh man, that's horrible news regardless of what trade options it gives to the O's.  

[Lucky_13]

Braves have a lot of pitching in the high minors but if they want a veteran guy it could make sense

[hoosiers]

The Braves still have five SP candidates in their BA Pre-Season Top 20 including highly rated Ian Anderson.  Soroka is a big loss so maybe they pull back Folty somehow.  My guess is that they are fine with Anderson, Kyle Wright or Bryce Wilson.  The Braves are ready to compete this year so it will be interesting how they replace Soroka. 

My guess is that they give up a big prospect if they can acquire a big SP; otherwise, I expect they will trade for a middling SP and give up a much lesser lesser prospect.  Have to see what other demand for SP crops up over the next couple weeks.

[scOtt]

1 hour ago, bpilktree said:

Mike Soroka out for year with Achilles tear.  Alex Cobb could be an option as a veteran starter if he is healthy and pitches the way he has so far. 

OW! That makes me limp just imagining it.

[backwardsk]

Is this the year to trade prospects to chase a World Series that may or may not be played?

[Aristotelian]

Astros lost Verlander too. Still I have a hard time believing neither team has a better option than Cobb.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

Astros lost Verlander too. Still I have a hard time believing neither team has a better option than Cobb.

And the Red Sox lost EdRod (Not sure they see themselves as a contender) and the Angels lost Ohtani.

[Ruzious]

47 minutes ago, backwardsk said:

Is this the year to trade prospects to chase a World Series that may or may not be played?

That's right - we're buyers!  

[SteveA]

8 hours ago, scOtt said:

OW! That makes me limp just imagining it.

Just came off the mound to try to run to cover first and stepped wrong.  Ouch.

[Roll Tide]

51 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Astros lost Verlander too. Still I have a hard time believing neither team has a better option than Cobb.

If Cobb is finally right in regards to health I can see him being a really good option for either team. I'm not sure either team has seen enough to be convinced that he is his old self.

 

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Roll Tide said:

If Cobb is finally right in regards to health I can see him being a really good option for either team. I'm not sure either team has seen enough to be convinced that he is his old self.

 

I could see a team taking a flier on Cobb if the O's foot a good bit of his contract.

[NCRaven]

The cost for the rest of this year is fairly small given that they are only playing another 50 games or so and would only have to pay his pro-rated salary over that period.  If the O's pick up half his salary for next year, that should buy a pretty good prospect.

[makoman]

1 minute ago, NCRaven said:

The cost for the rest of this year is fairly small given that they are only playing another 50 games or so and would only have to pay his pro-rated salary over that period.  If the O's pick up half his salary for next year, that should buy a pretty good prospect.

Also, since I doubt he pitches 130 innings this year, it looks like $10M of the $15M owed next year will be deferred to the 30s. So the actual present cost is quite a bit less than $15M.  

[NCRaven]

That 130 innings will likely be pro-rated down to something like 50 innings for contract purposes.