Anthony DeSclafani seems like a starting pitcher that a rebuilding Cincinnati Reds would keep for the future.
DeSclafani will have just over two years of service time after the season ends. He won’t be salary arbitration eligible until the 2018 season.
With four years of club control remaining, the Reds could use DeSclafani to anchor the middle of the team’s developing rotation. On the other hand, the Reds have three potential front-end starters emerging in Cody Reed, Robert Stephenson and Amir Garrett.
The Reds also have Homer Bailey nearing his return. Added to the rotation mix with Dan Straily, Brandon Finnegan and John Lamb, DeSclafani becomes a lot more expendable.
Starting pitching is a highly coveted commodity at the trade deadline. The Reds would be foolish not to consider trading DeSclafani.
All the Reds have to do is look at the trade return the team received at last year’s trade deadline for Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake. The Reds currently have all three starters acquired in return for Cueto in the team’s rotation. Adam Duvall is having an All-Star season and looks like a future fixture for the Reds. He is proving to be an exceptional deal for the short-term rental of Leake last year.
Granted DeSclafani is nowhere near the quality level of either Cueto or Leake. He does have enough pitching history now to merit significant value.
Teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox could all use a solid starter for a second-half push. First, DeSclafani will have to show he’s fully healthy from the oblique strain that delayed the start of his season.
But if he continues at the 2.30 ERA pace he’s on after three starts, the Reds might be dealing him. That could mean bringing a Cincinnati prep star like Jacob May, Adam Engel or even Andrew Benintendi back home.
Robb Hoff writes about the Cincinnati Reds for OutsidePitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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