Philadelphia Phillies: 4 affordable starting pitcher trade options
By Tim Boyle
3. Affordable Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher trade candidate: Chad Kuhl.
Chad Kuhl could be the guy we consider to be the one Quintana replaced in Pittsburgh. His time there didn’t go all that great as he posted ERAs in the 4.00s in all five of his seasons there. Now a member of the Colorado Rockies, he has somehow put himself on a much more promising path.
Kuhl hasn’t been nearly as good as he was earlier this season. However, after 13 starts, he is still 4-5 with a 3.95 ERA. Surviving Colorado is difficult for any pitcher. Kuhl is managing himself well with the Rockies and would be a nice affordable option for the Phillies to kick the tires on.
Because of a not-so-stellar history, he’d even be a candidate to move to the bullpen if he struggles. Kuhl has never been a big strikeout pitcher and walks have been a problem. Yet another free agent after this season is over, the Rockies will be on the prowl looking for a match in a trade for him this summer.
Compared to Perez and Quintana, Kuhl is a bit underwhelming. Quintana has been really good in the past and Perez is doing some special things this year. With Kuhl, one can raise the question of whether or not he is even an improvement for the Phillies rotation. A counterargument could be that the team could benefit from trading for him and placing him in their bullpen. As a sixth starter option to get them through the grind of a full season, he’s not a half-bad pickup.