LHP Felipe Vazquez
Two time All-Star closer Felipe Vazquez has been the only consistently comforting presence in an otherwise unstable bullpen. The 28-year-old has a 1.87 ERA in 40 appearances, recording 21 saves and 68 strikeouts over 43.1 innings pitched.
With contenders all around the league always looking for back-end bullpen help at this time of the year, Vazquez could bring in a significant haul. After this year, Vazquez is set to make $13.5 million between 2020-2021, with two team options for 2022 and 2023, each at $10 million. Overall, that’s potentially $33.5 million across four years, a very good value for an elite closer in his late twenties.
As reported by Adam Berry, Huntington has no plans to trade Vazquez, stating, “We fully anticipate Felipe will be closing the next playoff games we’re a part of.”
That’s a pretty strong statement, but I wouldn’t fully count out the possibility of Vazquez getting dealt, especially if Huntington is offered a King’s ransom.
Potential Destinations: LAD, ATL, STL
Verdict: Highly Unlikely