Guardians add starting pitcher before deadline, acquire RHP Alex Cobb from Giants for prospects

CLEVELAND — Sticker shock kept the Guardians from trading for an elite pitcher at the deadline.

They opted for an experienced one instead.

Priced out of the market for one of the top available starters, the Guardians added much-needed depth to their rotation by acquiring right-hander Alex Cobb from the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

The AL Central leaders were among several contenders pursuing a front-of-the-rotation starter and ended up settling for the 36-year-old Cobb, who hasn't pitched in the major leagues since hip surgery last Oct. 31.

Cleveland sent left-handed pitching prospect Jacob Bresnahan and a player to be named to the Giants for Cobb, a teammate of Guardians first-year manager Stephen Vogt with Tampa Bay in 2012.

“He was really good,” Vogt said in Detroit shortly before the trade was announced. “It's exciting.”

Chris Antonetti, the club's president of baseball operations, believes Cobb gives the Guardians another dependable arm and option.

“He’s a really effective major league pitcher when he’s been healthy,” Antonetti said, noting Cobb made 28 starts in 2022 and 2023. "He’s got good pitch quality, good stuff, and he knows how to use it. He’s an experienced veteran pitcher that we think can help us and are excited to add him to the group that we have.”

Cobb went 7-7 with a 3.87 ERA last season and has a $10 million salary this year. He can become a free agent after the World Series. He is 77-75 with a 3.85 ERA in 230 starts over 12 seasons.

In addition to spending six seasons with the Rays, Cobb has also pitched for Baltimore and the Los Angeles Angels. He was the winning pitcher against Cleveland in the 2013 AL wild card game.

An All-Star in 2023, Cobb made six minor league starts in July, going 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA while striking out 24 and walking seven in 18 1/3 innings. He was on the verge of returning to the majors but developed a blister on his right index finger during his last minor league rehab outing Friday.

Antonetti said Cobb will likely make at least one more rehab start before joining Cleveland's roster.

Cleveland has spent much of the season juggling its rotation after losing ace Shane Bieber after just two starts to an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. The Guardians sent starters Logan Allen and Triston McKenzie to the minor leagues after they struggled.

Anticipating a challenging market, they signed free agent Matthew Boyd last month and could have the 33-year-old left-hander in the rotation soon.

Boyd had Tommy John surgery on June 28 last year while with Detroit. He has thrown 12 innings in three minor league starts and will pitch for Triple-A Columbus on Thursday.

There were bigger names available, including Jack Flaherty, who was dealt by Detroit to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Antonetti was asked if the price was even higher than expected.

“I think you can infer from that how we felt about other deals,” he said. "If we felt there were better deals, we would’ve made them. Some of that comes down to how other teams value particular players with us and how we value them.

“And not all players have universally the same value among all teams. So you have to find a trade partner in which you can align on player values and that’s a really challenging thing to do.”

On Monday, the Guardians acquired outfielder Lane Thomas from the Washington Nationals for three prospects — pitcher Alex Clemmey and infielders José Tena and Rafael Ramirez Jr. Thomas made his debut for Cleveland against Detroit, batting second and starting in right field.

He got his first hit in the eighth inning and scored on José Ramírez's homer as the Guardians won 5-0.

“He's unbelievable, playing him and watching him play,” Thomas said of Ramírez, who moved past Albert Belle into second place on Cleveland's career home run list. “Anytime you get on first base, you're in scoring position.”

It was a quick turnaround for Lane, who flew in from Arizona in time for the game and is now in the middle of a playoff chase.

“It’s exciting,” he said. “It seems like they’ve got a good thing going here. I just want to do my part, fit in and get to know everybody over the next couple months.”