The Chicago Cubs have told starting pitcher Matt Garza that he will likely be traded after talks between the two sides over a contract extension broke down. Garza is considered one of the top pitchers available via trade this summer and Chicago’s asking price is reportedly very high.
According to Jim Bowden, there is an 80 percent chance that Garza will be traded before his next start. The Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are considered the strongest pursuers of the 29-year-old right-hander. A few other teams have also expressed interest.
The Cubs apparently want a few elite prospects in exchange for Garza, which is a bit surprising, considering he will be a free agent after the season.
Most major league clubs apparently don’t consider Garza a legitimate No. 1 or No. 2 starter, but think of him as a very good No. 3 guy. When considering that, Chicago’s asking price is a bit steep. The big problem with Garza is that he’s been on the disabled list three times over the past three years and hasn’t always been as dominant as he has looked recently.
So far this season Garza is 6-1 with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in 11 starts. He’s pitching very well right now but he only started 18 games last season thanks to injuries and missed the beginning of this year with a strained lat muscle.
If a team is going to go all-in and give up top prospects for Garza, the team’s management will probably want to have a contract extension in place. These days no one is going to give up elite prospects in exchange for a three-month rental.
We’ll keep you updated with what we hear on Garza as it comes.