Zack Wheeler
The New York Mets are shopping Zack Wheeler and the Red Sox are one team rumored to have discussed a potential deal for the right-hander.
Wheeler is having a down year, going 6-6 with a 4.69 ERA. However, his 3.65 FIP is more palatable and perhaps a better indicator of how he’s pitching. His career-high 9.8 K/9 and career-low 2.6 BB/9 support that theory.
The 29-year old had a career year in 2018 when he went 12-7 with a 3.31 ERA and he owns a solid 3.88 ERA for his career.
Wheeler comes with injury red flags. His entire 2015 and 2016 seasons were wiped out by Tommy John surgery and a series of setbacks to his recovering elbow. He struggled upon his return but bouncing back last year shows his health issues are behind him. There’s still some risk here but no more so than when the Red Sox dealt for Eovaldi last year with only a half season of evidence that he was recovered from his latest surgery.
The prorated amount of the $5.975 million that Wheeler is owed in the final year of his contract should fit easily into Boston’s budget. The short commitment protects against the injury concerns and should keep the cost to acquire him affordable.