As the Philadelphia Phillies look to add a starter to the back end of their rotation, an unexpected but perfect choice has come into view.
Philadelphia plans to employ a six-man rotation in August, and it is clear that the Phillies must trade for a pitcher who can deliver a handful of quality, no-frills starts leading into the playoffs.
Philadelphia already possesses a stable of four elite starting pitchers, which should protect the Phillies from feeling the need to give away a haul of prospects for a talent like Garrett Crochet.
What the Phillies do need is a hurler who has come into command of his stuff of late but whose value is flying somewhat under the radar; the kind of starter who will eat up a ton of innings in August but won't command a lofty price to acquire.
Such a player exists, and he's currently pitching in the National League.
According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, this player also promises to be available in July.
Feinsand reported this week that Cal Quantrill of the Colorado Rockies is one of 13 starting pitchers who will be up for sale before the deadline.
Quantrill's fWAR of 0.9 was ranked No. 10 of the 13 starters on Feinsand's list, indicating that Quantrill could be overlooked on the boards of many buyers .
Quantrill is getting hot at the right time. His performance arc of late has resembled an athlete rising from the ashes and re-asserting his abilities. Quantrill surprisingly found himself in the minors last season before being traded to the Rockies, where he's completely turned things around this season and reminded everyone of his value, which Feinsand acknowledged in his report.
"After struggling in 2023 and being designated for assignment by the Guardians last November, Quantrill was dealt to the Rockies for Minor League catcher Kody Huff," Feinsand said. "Quantrill has had a resurgent season in 2024, pitching to a 3.78 ERA in 17 starts, posting a 2.98 mark in his last 11 outings. Quantrill is earning $6.55 million this season and will be arbitration-eligible for a fourth time this winter."
If Phillies president Dave Dombrowski strikes a deal for Quantrill and then Quantrill delivers in August, Dombrowski will be universally lauded for making a nuanced and stealthy deadline move.
On the other hand, if Quantrill were to lose his rhythm when he arrived in Philadelphia, it wouldn't do much to deter the first-place Phillies from carrying on with their journey toward a World Series.
Quantrill, 29, has the look of a pitcher who is coming into his own at the perfect time. Acquiring him would be a low-risk, high-reward transaction for Dombrowski.
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