First Zack Greinke received a lubricating injection in his elbow during spring training. Then Hyun-Jin Ryu was shut down with shoulder inflammation. Now Brandon McCarthy has tightness in his elbow. Cole Hamels trade, anyone?
Rumors throughout the offseason suggested the Los Angeles Dodgers were one of four top suitors in discussions with the Philadelphia Phillies to acquire Hamels, but nothing ever came to fruition because general manager Ruben Amaro was said to be asking for too much in return for the left-hander. As a result, there hasn't been much action on the market for a while now.
"There have been no calls on Hamels regarding a trade since the last week of March, according to a Phillies source," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. "Teams appear to be watching their own staffs to project a need. That likely won't come until mid-May, after a few turns in the rotation."
Well, after a number of developments this weekend it appears as if it could come sooner. McCarthy is unsure if he'll make his next start and is slated to undergo an MRI today (and Ryu has yet to pitch this season); St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright reportedly suffered a season-ending Achilles injury; and the Boston Red Sox starting rotation has the worst ERA (5.75) in baseball.
Bill Baer of NBC Sports' HardballTalk believes the market for Hamels is getting bigger now, and mentions Los Angeles as a potential suitor.
"Dodger pitchers Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu are both injured, and they started Scott Baker on Sunday against the Padres. While Baker pitched well, he's no Hamels."
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times appears a bit concerned about the Dodgers' rotation as well.
"The Dodgers find themselves in a position where they could possibly be without two of their top five starting pitchers.
"Ryu is sidelined indefinitely because of shoulder inflammation, which has already required the Dodgers to insert the likes of David Huff and Mike Bolsinger into their rotation."
Ryu has yet to throw off a mound since being shut down, and although the team's medical staff told McCarthy there were reasons to be optimistic about the condition of his ligaments, nobody can be so sure at this point, especially since McCarthy has a lengthy injury history.
Let's also not forget there's a chance Greinke opts out of his contract and Brett Anderson will become a free agent when the season ends.
If there's one team that can make this deal happen with a combination of their finances and deep farm system, it's the Los Angeles Dodgers. We'll keep an eye out for any developments on this front.
