Padres: Three starting pitchers to target before deadline

2. Kevin Gausman

The Yankees have reportedly been the most interested in the former fourth overall pick of the Orioles. He made regular starts in the rotation beginning in 2014 and posted a career-best 3.57 ERA in 20 starts. He was traded to the Braves during the 2018 campaign and to the Reds last year before hitting free agency.

With the Reds, Kevin Gausman was primarily used out of the bullpen, given how full their rotation was. Through six appearances – including five starts, the 29-year-old has a 4.65 ERA (3.13 FIP), fanning 42 batters to just six walks in 31.0 innings of work in 2020.

Gausman is posting a career-best 12.2 K/9, primarily due to the success of his split-finger fastball that has yielded a .157 average, 43.0 whiff percentage, and an average exit velocity of 79.5 MPH, according to StatCast.

He’ll be a free agent at the end of the year, so the return should be relatively cheap.