Phillies RHP Aaron Harang drawing trade interest

Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels is not the only member of their rotation drawing trade interest, as teams are calling about veteran right-hander Aaron Harang as well, Anthony Castrovince of Sports on Earth reports.

Harang is off to a fast start this season, with a 2.38 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 45⅓ innings over his first seven starts of 2015. He has allowed 37 hits, walked just nine and struck out 31. Harang has a 2.95 FIP to go with his ERA, but a 4.34 xFIP, which is right in like with where he's been over the course of his career. He has a perfectly sustainable LOB% at 76.4, but a BABIP against him of just .255.

As Castrovince points out, beyond his hot start this year, Harang has been a solid big league pitcher throughout his 14-year career. He has made at least 20 starts in every season since 2004 and has a career ERA of 4.17 with 1,765 strikeouts in 2,195 innings. Harang's best seasons came in 2007, when he had ERAs of 3.76 and 3.73, striking out 434 in 466 innings over the two seasons.

Given the continued absence of Hyun-Jin Ryu with an injury, the Dodgers could be on the top of the list of suitors for Harang, given that they have a bit of a patchwork back end of their rotation and they could easily take on Harang's $5 million salary.

Another team that could absorb Harang's salary is Boston, who also happens to have rotation issues. The Red Sox' starters have a combined ERA of 5.63, worst in the American League and barely ahead of Colorado for the worst in baseball.

In addition to the Dodgers and Red Sox, both of 2014's ALCS participants, Kansas City and Baltimore, could be on the market for starting pitching help as the trade deadline approaches and Harang would be an option for them, as well.