Baltimore Orioles: Finding a trade partner for Alex Cobb

At the start of 2019, the Houston Astros will likely have lost three of their top five pitchers by games started last year. Lance McCullers will miss the entirety of 2019 due to Tommy John surgery, Charlie Morton is gone to the Rays via free agency, and Houston doesn’t seem like the top destination for Dallas Keuchel at the moment.

Replacing almost 500 innings isn’t an easy task, and it’s one made even more difficult by the remaining top-free agent options being the likes of Trevor Cahill and Wade Miley. There’s less certainty in the free agent market than the Astros would like, considering they’re one of the best teams in the American League and will be looking to repeat as AL West champs.

The Astros will head into 2019 with Justin Verlander as their ace, Gerritt Cole as their number two, and will almost certainly have Forrest Whitley in their rotation early in the season, if not on opening day. Beyond that is guesswork, and Cobb would slot nicely as the Astros’ number three or four.

With the Astros’ payroll at just $83 million right now, they’d have more than enough space for Cobb’s contract if re-signing Keuchel proves unsuccessful. Seeing as there aren’t any aces remaining on the free agent market outside of Keuchel, the Astros might be willing to make a move to acquire Cobb to provide some stability in their rotation.

The snag here could be Jeff Luhnow’s willingness to trade with Mike Elias, but the Astros have a deep system and certainly have the pieces to create an attractive deal. If the Orioles got someone like Jake Marisnick or Derek Fisher back, it might work.