Philadelphia Phillies: Affordable Rotation Options in Free Agency

Alex Cobb

My personal top choice for the Phillies to sign in the offseason is Tampa Bay righty, Alex Cobb. Cobb has a career 3.50 ERA despite playing in the AL and more impressive in the AL East. The only negative that comes with Cobb is that he does have a slight injury history, he missed the entire 2015 season and the majority of the 2016 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

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In his other four full Major League seasons Cobb has pitched at least 136 1/3 innings. Cobb is not a strikeout pitcher, only averaging 7.3 K/9 for his career. Despite not having a nasty out pitch to get out of jams Cobb does not make many mistakes he gives up less than a home run per nine innings over the course of his career and would’ve only been one of three Phillies pitcher to have their HR/9 be under 1, joining Luis Garcia and Edubray Ramos.

Cobb is not a strikeout pitcher, only averaging 7.3 K/9 for his career. Despite not having a nasty out pitch to get out of jams Cobb does not make many mistakes he gives up less than a home run per nine innings over the course of his career and would’ve only been one of three Phillies pitcher to have their HR/9 be under 1, joining Luis Garcia and Edubray Ramos.

Cobb is someone the Phillies can get on a somewhat cheap deal, his estimated market value on Spotrac is about 18 million per year. If I was in Klentak’s spot I would give Cobb a two year 36 million dollar offer, and then if he signs it pencil him in behind Nola as the number two starter in 2018.