Ryan Dempster Rumors: Ten Teams Interested in Veteran Right-Hander

There are 10 teams seeking the services of Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster, according to a report by Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.

"With a little more than two weeks until baseball's trade deadline, 10 teams have shown legitimate interest in acquiring Dempster's services for the remainder of the season, according to industry sources."

Levine listed six of the teams: The Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Atlanta Braves. He also noted that young pitching and a "well regarded third-base prospect" are on the Cubs' wish list.

Dempster pitched six scoreless innings Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He became the first pitcher since 1969 to throw 33 scoreless innings. The 35-year-old leads all of baseball with a 1.86 ERA.

At 23-years-old, Dempster was an All-Star for the Florida Marlins. Two seasons later, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, where he struggled for a season and a half. He was signed by the Cubs in 2004, who put him in the bullpen.

Dempster saved 87 games from 2004-07, but was shifted back into the rotation in 2008. He was 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA, made it back to the All-Star Game and finished sixth in Cy Young voting that year.

He was successful the next two seasons, but fell apart in 2011. Last year, Dempster had a 4.88 ERA and 1.45 WHIP.

With the Cubs under new management, 14 games out of a playoff spot and with Dempster's contract expiring at the end of the season, it's a virtual lock that he'll will be traded by the July 31 deadline.

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Will Dempster falter after he's traded like when he went from the Marlins to the Reds?

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