Andrew Cashner is the San Diego Padres' probable starter for Thursday's game in St. Louis. For now.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller is working to trade Cashner before he takes the mound, sources said Wednesday. The Marlins and Orioles are among the teams that have shown interest in Cashner.
Cashner has made three starts since returning from the disabled list earlier this month. Two were quality starts -- both at home, against the Yankees and Giants. In between, he had a clunker at Dodger Stadium, allowing eight earned runs over 2 2/3 innings.
Cashner's value has fluctuated wildly over the past several years, because of injuries and inconsistency. Even while pitching home games at Petco Park, his ERA this season is 5.05. Cashner has had two stints on the disabled list in 2016, with a right hamstring strain in May and strained neck in June.
Cashner surpassed 100 pitches in only two of 14 starts this season, and he's recorded one out all year in the seventh inning or later. He's never thrown 200 innings in a Major League season.
But since Cashner will be a free agent after this year, teams are mostly concerned with how he's pitching right now. And his most recent impression -- a season-high nine strikeouts against the Giants -- was a favorable one.