MLB trade rumors: Tigers’ Michael Fulmer to Dodgers? Yankees have new competitor in arms race

by Felix Pantaleón

The MLB non-waiver trade deadline is July 31, 2018 (7/31/18). Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer, Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer, Toronto Blue Jays lefty J.A. Happ and Texas Rangers lefty Cole Hamels are the best arms on the trade market. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is shopping for starting pitching before the deadline, with concerns over Masahiro Tanaka and Sonny Gray.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are 1.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West and are one game back in the NL wild card race.

With the playoffs well within their grasp, the Dodgers are looking to make some major moves before the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline.

Los Angeles is one of as many as 10 teams interested in Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado.

The Dodgers are also shopping for starting pitching, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale:

The #Dodgers are doubling down: They not only are aggressively pursuing #Orioles SS Manny Machado, but also #Tigers starter Michael Fulmer. The #Orioles, heavily scouting the Dodgers’ minor-league system, want Class A pitcher Dustin May included in any package of prospects.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 3, 2018

The Yankees are not considered a front-runner for Machado, who will be a free agent after the season. But the Yankees are very much interested in Fulmer. Last Thursday, the club had a scout in Detroit to check out Fulmer, who’s 3-7 this season with a 4.20 ERA in 16 starts. Fulmer is scheduled to face the Cubs Tuesday afternoon in Chicago.

Fulmer was the 2016 American League Rookie of the Year, going 11-7 with a 3.06 ERA in 26 starts.

Last season, Fulmer regressed a bit, going 10-12 with a 3.38 ERA in 25 starts.

According to Spotrac, the 25-year-old Fulmer will be under team control through 2022. He is making $575,200 this season and is eligible for arbitration beginning in 2019.

You can add Fulmer’s name to what’s been called a “weak” trade market for starting pitching, which includes Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer, Texas Rangers lefty Cole Hamels and Toronto Blue Jays southpaw J.A. Happ.

There would also be a huge market for Jacob deGrom and/or Noah Syndergaard if the Mets hold a fire sale.

9 immediate Yankees concerns

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has made it known he is shopping for starting pitching. Masahiro Tanaka is coming back from a pair of bum hamstrings. Jordan Montgomery is out for the season because of Tommy John surgery. Sonny Gray is at the best unreliable and at the worst a complete disaster.

Cashman has already said he has no plans to trade Gleyber Torres for pitching. He is also reluctant to use Clint Frazier to upgrade the starting rotation.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.