Baltimore Orioles should look to move Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner at Winter Meetings

The Baltimore Orioles signed Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner during spring training of 2018. Unfortunately both pitchers struggled in 2018, as did most of the pitching rotation. Would it be out of the question if both got traded during the Winter Meetings in Vegas?

The offseason is a time where teams like to improve rosters and have them set by the time spring training starts, but Executive VP and General Manager Mike Elias and the Baltimore Orioles are looking to hire a manager and get his staff in place right now. I’m sure Elias will have plenty to talk about at the Winter Meetings, but will teams be interested in trading for Alex Cobb or Andrew Cashner?

One factor for any team to trade for Cobb or Cashner is taking on the rest of their respective contracts because we know the Orioles won’t be willing to eat most of the money left on both deals. Cobb has 3 years and $45 million left on his deal, while Cashner has this year at $8 million, and a $10 million vesting option for 2020 that’ll kick in if he reaches 187 innings pitched in 2019.

It would make a lot of sense for the Elias to gauge teams interest since Cobb and Cashner do have a track record of pitching better than what their 2018 records were.  Cobb signed late and ended up going 5-15 with a 4.90 ERA while Andrew Cashner went 4-15 with a 5.29 ERA.

Teams like the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, and Washington Nationals are looking for more starting pitchers and it wouldn’t hurt to see who the Orioles could get back in trades with those teams. Cobb and Cashner would certainly do much better with those teams who are looking to win now. The Orioles aren’t ready to win right now and won’t be for a few years.

Rebuild mode certainly means to tear down the roster, and that means getting rid of two starting pitchers that you can get some prospects in return for that will end up helping the team in the future. I’m all about trading Alex Cobb and Andrew Cashner this offseason.