St. Louis Cardinals RHP Trevor Rosenthal
A former 2015 All-Star closer for the Cardinals, Trevor Rosenthal still throws a high-90s fastball, that can sometimes even break the century threshold.So although a 4.46 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in 2016 might scare some teams away, this guy still possesses the abilities that made him one of the most feared closers in the game.
Between the 2014 and ’15 seasons, Rosenthal managed 93 saves, along with a 2.65 ERA and 170 strikeouts in just 139 innings tossed. His performance in 2015 even earned him a 17th place vote in the NL MVP race – a rare honor for relievers to have bestowed upon them.
Just as Alderson took a flyer on current setup man Addison Reed after a 4.23 ERA and 1.33 WHIP run with the Arizona Diamondbacks over two seasons, a move like this could possibly replicate the magic of Reed’s deal.
Rosenthal started off 2016 solid in April and May, throwing around a 2.00 ERA with eight saves. But once the calendar flipped to June and July, he collapsed and lost his pitch control, walking nearly a batter an inning. But he closed out the season strong, producing a 1.29 ERA in September and October.
With Rosenthal having shown he can turn things around, he’s more than worth a buy via trade for the Mets. His rough 2016 season has his value about as low as it will probably be for some time, so jumping on him now would be the move.
