Could a Shark soon wash up in Boston Harbor?
The Boston Red Sox have expressed interest in trading for Oakland Athletics pitcher Jeff Samardzija, according to The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo. While the Sox still should target Jon Lester and/or another No. 1 starter above all else, Samardzija represents an intriguing possibility for a club currently revamping its starting rotation.
The determining factor — as it is with all trades, really — will be the cost of acquisition. Cafardo suggests the A’s could look to obtain young pitching and middle infielders in exchange for the hurler known as “Shark.” The Red Sox have both — they’re heavier on the young pitching side — and should attempt to assemble an enticing package while still proceeding with a high level of caution.
Make no mistake, Samardzija was awesome in 2014. He posted a 2.83 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP and a 135 ERA+ in 17 starts with the Chicago Cubs despite notching a 2-7 record due to a criminal lack of run support. The A’s were so high on him they traded one of the best prospects in baseball, Addison Russell, as part of a deal to land the right-hander. Samardzija rewarded the A’s by posting a 3.14 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP and a 118 ERA+ in 16 starts down the stretch, though Oakland returned the favor by supporting him with Chicago-esque run support that resulted in a 5-6 record.
Beyond his 7-13 overall record, Samardzija finished the 2014 season with numbers that befit a legitimate No. 1 or No. 2 starter. Samardzija’s strikeout rate dipped slightly from his 2012 and 2013 marks, but he was a far better pitcher in large part because his command improved. For proof, one must look no further than his career-best 4.70 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which represented a dramatic improvement over the 2.94 ratio he posted in his previous two seasons after becoming a full-time starter in 2012.
Samardzija’s numbers, including his peripherals, suggest a pitcher who finally came into his own in his age 29 season after a couple of decent years in which he still was discovering himself as a starter. And although he’ll soon enter the wrong side of 30, Samardzija should be a valuable contributor over the next few seasons, which obviously is appealing for teams looking to dance with Oakland on the trade market.
But therein lies the rub. Samardzija has one more year of arbitration eligibility, with MLB Trade Rumors projecting he’ll land a $9.2 million salary for 2015. That’s peanuts for a pitcher of Samardzija’s caliber, but he’ll be a free agent next offseason, at which point he could land a lucrative contract on the open market. The Cubs reportedly offered Samardzija a five-year, $85 million deal in June before eventually dealing the veteran hurler.
Would the Red Sox lock up Samardzija to a long-term contract this offseason if they pried him away from Oakland? It seems rather unlikely given the club’s recent expenditures and its ongoing pursuit of Lester. Plus, there’s some risk associated with Samardzija because his 2014 season, in theory, could be an aberration. Boston probably would want to see him have continued success before making such a sizable long-term commitment.
In other words, Samardzija’s tenure could be a one-year fling. And that’s OK. At the right price.
The A’s likely will regret trading their top prospect for three months of Samardzija. The Red Sox don’t want to make a similar mistake, meaning they might need to let Shark swim away if A’s general manager Billy Beane starts kicking the tires on top tier prospects. At the very least, the Sox might need to find a third team willing to facilitate Oakland’s desires.
You don’t know unless you chum the waters, I guess.
Thumbnail photo via Mike Dinovo/USA TODAY Sports Images
