The Cleveland Guardians have acquired an All-Star ace in order to further bolster their playoff run.
The Guardians are currently standing tall in the National League with the second-best record in Major League Baseball. Now, to ensure that they hold onto this lead, Cleveland is reportedly in the final talks to make a trade for a veteran ace.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Guardians are finalizing a deal to acquire right-handed pitcher Alex Cobb from the San Francisco Giants.
While Cobb hasn't had a presence this season, his career more than speaks for itself. Debuting with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011, Cobb has boasted a 77-75 win-loss record with a 3.85 ERA and 1,098 strikeouts. He was a member of the 2023 National League All-Star team.
"Alex Cobb hasn’t pitched yet this season after undergoing hip surgery," Passan said. "But multiple evaluators who saw him pitch in rehab appearances came away impressed with his stuff. And Cobb’s competitiveness is renowned. This should be a good addition for the Guardians."
Assuming Cobb can recover from his surgery soon, he will make a great addition to a pitching rotation that has had some troubles this season. While Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, and Ben Lively have been steady presences in the rotation, other players have had notable struggles.
In exchange for Cobb, the Guardians are sending the Giants minor league left-handed pitcher Jacob Bresnahan (Cleveland's 13th-round pick from the 2023 draft) and another player who has yet to be named.
More MLB: Guardians could surprisingly land Tigers righty hurler as 'clock winds down'
