The Giants got Jake Peavy earlier today for Edwin Escobar and Heath Hembree. Peavy is a rental player that ended up costing the Giants their #2 and #11 prospects according to MLB.com. For the Giants, trading away pitching prospects is nothing, they pump them out routinely like some sort of best factory every (Hey Zack Wheeler) so while this was a pricy trade, for the amount of arms they have (most of their top prospects are arms), they can afford this.
This also leaves only two top tier pitchers left on the trade market in David Price and Jon Lester. But maybe only one. Not only is the Lester situation complicated regarding Boston maybe wanting to sign him long term, would they trade him right now after trading Peavy? A full rebuilding mode would say yes. Both of these pitchers will demand a lot, especially in light of what Peavy just received.
This is also good for the next tier of pitchers which include AJ Burnett, and Bartolo Colon. I don’t think Colon can bring in a hall like Peavy due to age and the amount of money on his contract, but it shows he will bring in something. (Also somewhere in between top tier and this next tier are Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee, which in a trade would demand a return closer to Price, and Lester, and definitely more than Peavy)
It also further shows that if the Mets take in more of Colon’s contract, they might get something even better in a trade. There were reports they might take up two million, I’m sure for the right prospects in a trade, they’ll take more than that.
This leaves the Indians, Orioles, Cardinals, Pirates, and Yankees with a lot of options (there are other pitchers out there that can be moved as well) but the precedent has been set with Peavy that getting a starter rental will be costly.
