MLB Rumors: How Will This Injury Update Impact Ken Giles’ Trade Value?

Whichever team acquires Ken Giles before the Major League Baseball trade deadline — if he’s dealt — will be rolling the dice.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday, citing a source, that an MRI revealed no structural damage in Giles’ ailing elbow. However, the Toronto Blue Jays closer received a cortisone shot, upon the recommendation of a doctor, and will not pitch again before Wednesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.

Giles last pitched Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays, hurling a scoreless 10th inning in which he induced three ground balls on 10 pitches. He was unavailable to pitch Monday night against the Kansas City Royals due to elbow inflammation, though, sparking debate as to whether the injury would be serious enough to damage Giles’ trade value.

Giles, who turns 29 in September, has been floated in trade rumors for several weeks with the Blue Jays well out of playoff contention in the American League. He still might get traded in light of this recent development — even though he’s under contract through 2020 and the Blue Jays theoretically could wait until the winter (or next season) to deal the right-hander — but one can’t help but wonder whether this impacts Toronto’s asking price. After all, a team would need to swallow hard before relinquishing premium prospects for a pitcher currently dealing with an elbow injury.

Giles, when healthy, has been excellent this season, posting a 1.54 ERA, a 1.60 FIP, a 1.06 WHIP and 14.9 strikeouts per nine innings across 35 appearances while totaling 14 saves.