With the trade deadline approaching, everyone is waiting for the Oakland Athletics to make their first move. The most logical trade for the A’s would be to move Scott Kazmir since his contract is up at the end of this season and Oakland has a plethora of starting pitchers. However, Kazmir has dealt with some minor arm injuries this season and it is being reported that these small injuries are causing some concern among the other ball clubs who are scouting this starting pitcher.
Kazmir has been pulled early from just two games this season – on May 27 and July 8. In May, Kazmir had some shoulder tightness. In July, he had left tricep tightness. However, now some other teams are hesitant about Kazmir and it is likely that the Oakland Athletics will receive some low offers for the ace. In turn, the Athletics should not accept any low-ball offers.
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Kazmir has been a staple in the A’s rotation since he joined the team in 2014. He has been nothing but consistent and posted a 15-9 winning record last season with a 3.55 ERA. Additionally, he only allowed 16 home runs in 190.1 innings pitched.
This season has been no different. Despite his 5-5 record, Kazmir has a 2.49 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP and 96 strikeouts in 101.1 innings pitched. He has taken on the veteran starter role and truly been a regular force on the mound. Even though Kazmir is 31 years old and seems to be having some minor arm issues, the A’s need to realize that Kazmir is a valuable asset so any trade offers should be equally as valuable.
Additionally, it is important to note that Kazmir did not make it past the fifth inning five times last year. Some of these short outings were due to injuries and some were due to poor performances. Nonetheless, Kazmir was able to bounce back and pitch at his usual high standard soon thereafter.
Lastly, Kazmir does have ten years of experience in pitching in MLB. There are bound to be some kinks, sore muscles, and tightness over the course a season after such a long career. The main thing is that Kazmir has proven that he can work through these injuries quickly and pitch well after some extended rest.
There is no question that the offers for this starter will start rolling in soon if they have not already. However, with other front offices concerned about his health, it will be interesting to see if the offers are on par with what Kazmir is actually worth. Since Kazmir has been a quality ace and a successful veteran starting pitcher for the Athletics, Oakland should not trade Kazmir for anything less than what he is valued, which, for the A’s, is a pretty high price.