1) Eduardo Rodriguez/Drew Pomeranz (Red Sox): Red Sox have some depth at starting pitching, which is never bad, but they have 6 guys for 5 spots, even after dealing Buchholz to the Phillies. Because of this, I don't think Dombroski is done dealing (he never is). Red Sox could very well look to replenish their farm system by trading a starting pitching asset in a weaker market. Eduardo Rodriguez is one option. He's young and very controllable as well as talented but probably could still be had at a big price. If Pirates included Keller and Bell, they could probably land him because guys like him just aren't readily available. It'd be a hefty cost, but he's controlled for quite awhile and is just starting to come into his own. Then there's Pomeranz. Pomeranz seems to more expendable after the Red Sox got Chris Sale and are now overloaded on lefties. Pomeranz was, not surprisingly, hurt with the Red Sox after a nice stint in San Diego. His value is way down as opposed to where it was when he was dealt to Boston last July. I could see the Pirates getting him at a lower rate and banking on him to return to his Padres form and fill in as a number 3 starter. He'd be a nice lefty that the Pirates rotation needs, and Searage may be just the kind of guy to work wonders with him.
2) Chris Archer (Rays): Archer has potential to be one of the best pitchers in the entirety of the league. Despite a rocky 2016, he finished very strong and looked more like the Archer of old that was on well on his way to being one of the best in the AL. His contract is valued very highly as it is similar to Quintana's but with an additional year. Combined that with the fact that many feel Archer will be better over the life of his contract than Quintana, and you have a pitcher that is very much worth getting. He'd also be getting out of the AL East, which makes pitchers automatically better. His ceiling is super high, and he's proven he can most certainly reach it or at least get very close. He'd be an automatic ace and a game-changer for the Pirates for 5 years and Searage would turn him into a top-flight NL pitcher that can compete with Bumgarner, Kershaw, or Syndergaard. He's a guy I would most definitely give up Glasnow, Bell, and Newman for. He'd be a major difference-maker for a long time.
3) Sonny Gray (Athletics): Gray is an interesting case as he is an awesome pitcher, but 2016 was a total disaster for him. He was hurt as well as ineffective. He did show signs of life at times, and could easily return to form under Ray Searage. Pirates showing willingness to part with top prospects could lead them to go after Gray if all else fails with Quintana and others. Pirates could certainly land Gray with a top prospect in the deal, but there is another angle here.
A's need a CF and are starved for a bat as they have been trying to get Dyson or others for CF and offered more money than Cleveland to get Encarnacion. The Pirates just so happen to have a CF that has a pretty good bat too in Andrew McCutchen. Both Gray and McCutchen both are great players that just had down years and may need a change to bounce back. I could see a swap centered around Gray and McCutchen being something that could come together. A straight swap wouldn't happen but a swap with them and other pieces could, in fact, be a great move for both teams. A's would control McCutchen for 2 years on a modest deal, especially compared to what they offered to Encarnacion. Pirates would control Gray for 3 years on his rookie deal so his contract would never get out of hand. Deal could very well work great for both sides.
The Pirates search for another starting pitcher, even a top one, should not end with Jose Quintana. There are other options out there that would certainly intrigue the Pirates and could give the Pirates very good stability in the rotation for multiple years. While I still think the Pirates need to get Quintana, there are certainly plenty of other options that the Pirates could look into if that option falls through.
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