Cleveland Guardians Could Pursue Trade For Former All-Star NL Pitcher

The Cleveland Guardians are in desperate need for starting pitching, and one former National League All-Star could represent a viable trade candidate for them.

Jul 14, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Trevor Rogers (28) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the second inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians are in desperate need of starting pitching, but due to the exorbitant asking price, names like Garrett Crochet may be unattainable.

However, there should be some other affordable, more realistic options available before the July 30 MLB trade deadline, and Tim Britton and Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic have identified a potential candidate for the Guardians: Miami Marlins left-hander Trevor Rogers.

The Marlins will likely be going into full selling mode over the next week or so, as they are one of the few teams around the MLB that is clearly out of contention.

While Jesus Luzardo appeared to be a prime candidate to be moved earlier this season, a long IL stint has almost surely removed his name from the trade block. The same goes for Braxton Garrett.

But what about Rogers?

Rogers has been the lone mainstay in Miami's starting rotation this year, making 20 starts and going 1-9 with a 4.59 ERA.

Those numbers aren't exactly pretty, but just three years ago, Rogers made the All-Star team and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting after going 7-8 with a 2.64 ERA across 25 starts. That season, Rogers allowed just 107 hits while registering 157 strikeouts over 133 innings.

Since then, injuries have derailed the 26-year-old, as he made just 27 starts combined between 2022 and 2023. He didn't exactly produce great results during that span, either, posting a 5.47 ERA in the former campaign (where he made 23 of his 27 starts).

This year, Rogers' strikeout rate has dipped considerably, going from 10.6 per nine innings in 2021 to just 7.6 per nine innings in 2024. His WHIP has also ballooned to 1.550, and he lays claim to an ugly 1.83 K/BB ratio.

So, why exactly would Cleveland be interested in the struggling lefty?

Well, Rogers displayed a few years ago that he has good stuff. As a matter of fact, his stuff was electric in 2021, so there is reason to believe he wasn't just a flash in the pan.

That being said, it's also entirely possible that injuries have sapped him, as his velocity has declined considerably the past couple of years.

Still, given how horrific the Guardians' starting pitching has been this season, it couldn't hurt to take a swing on Rogers given his past. Plus, it's not like he will cost a whole lot.

And hey: Rogers' 4.37 FIP would actually represent the second-best mark in Cleveland's current rotation.