Acquired from Dodgers with Francisco Cruceta and Ricardo Rodriguez for Paul Shuey in July 2002. Inclusion in the trade was primarily to offset cost, allowing Cleveland to get better prospects (Rodriguez was the Dodgers’ top-ranked prospect entering the year by Baseball America).Noah Syndergaard will be the 10th pitcher to start a game for Cleveland after being acquired in a midseason trade since 2000.
The others:
- 2020 – Cal Quantrill ( acquired from SDP)
- 2011 – Ubaldo Jimenez (COL)
- 2009 – Justin Masterson (BOS)
- 2008 – Zach Jackson (MIL)
- 2008 – Anthony Reyes (STL)
- 2002 – Cliff Lee (MON)
- 2002 – Terry Mulholland (LAD)
- 2000 – Steve Woodard (MIL)
- 2000 – Jason Bere (MIL)
Of this group, only Quantrill helped the team to the playoffs, although it was the modified version in 2020 and Quantrill was moved to the bullpen for the playoffs.
The last time Cleveland acquired a starting pitcher at the deadline and made the postseason in a full season was 1997, when they trade for John Smiley (from Cincinnati) and Jeff Juden (from Montreal). Smiley suffered a career-ending injury and didn’t pitch in the postseason, while Juden was moved to the pen.
The last midseason trade acquisition to actually start a playoff game for Cleveland was Ken Hill in 1995. Hill was acquired at the deadline from the Cardinals for David Bell and two other minor leaguers.
Hill pitched 13.2 consecutive scoreless to open the ’95 postseason, including seven shutout innings in a critical Game 4 of the ’95 ALCS while Cleveland training 2-1 in the series. He allowed his first run in the 6th inning of Game 4 of the ’95 World Series on a home run to Ryan Klesko, and ultimately took the loss in the game. He finished the ’95 postseason with a 2-1 record and a 1.84 ERA.