The Athletics are not playing pretender. They are within a game of an American League Wild Card spot, and they are now sniffing around the trade market for actual pitching help.
Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Oakland has been showing interest in Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic on the trade market. Nightengale notes the Athletics are looking to add reinforcements to a rotation that has been their biggest weakness all year.
This is a real story, not just a rumor mill rumor. The Athletics enter Sunday at 31-34 and one game out of a playoff spot. Their team ERA is 4.54, which is fifth-worst in the American League. The bats have carried them this far thanks to Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz. The arms have been the problem.
Bubic is interesting on every level. The 28-year-old was an All-Star last season, going 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA and a career-high 116 strikeouts through 20 starts before a rotator cuff strain ended his year in late July.
This year? Less impressive. Bubic is 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA and 51 strikeouts over nine starts, and he is currently on the injured list with a sore left elbow that has kept him out since mid-May.
That injured status is the entire reason this deal is even possible. A healthy version of Bubic in his All-Star form last year would have cost a top-100 prospect, minimum. The current version, hurt and unproven, lowers the price dramatically.
It is the kind of bet that screams “buy low” for a team like Oakland. Bubic is a pending free agent after this season, so the Royals have no real reason to keep him if they are not in the race. The Royals are 30-35 and looking up at multiple AL Central rivals, so they should be looking to flip expiring contracts.
The risk for the Athletics is also real. Bubic could come back from this elbow issue throwing 87 mph with no command and give them zero return on whatever they ship to Kansas City. The pitcher who made the All-Star team last year is not necessarily the pitcher who comes back this year.
Oakland’s front office has been more aggressive than expected this season. They already made a deal last month to bring in former All-Star catcher Jonah Heim. Adding Bubic, even a hurt version, would signal that the Athletics actually believe they can sneak into the postseason.
The August 3 deadline is two months out. Plenty of time for Bubic to get healthy, throw a few rehab outings, and either prove he is back or confirm the worst. The Athletics are watching closely.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
