Esteban

Loaiza

Kevin Brown, Esteban Loaiza and Brad Halsey are all being considered.

Brad Halsey will start instead against the Devil Rays. If the left-handed rookie pitches well, Loaiza may be relegated to bullpen duty for the rest of the season.

The Rangers are not sure they want to gamble on Loaiza, who has a 7.17 ERA over the past two months. Rather than give up prospects to take that risk, they might prefer to Chris Young or Joaquin Benoit at the fifth-starter job.

Cleveland was willing to give Loaiza two years, but not at the price he wanted. The Nationals might be the favorites to sign Loaiza.

They only plan to sign him if the Shawn Green trade goes through. The arrival of Loiaza would leave just one rotation spot for Edwin Jackson and Kazuhisa Ishii, assuming that Brad Penny is healthy.

Loaiza wants a two-year deal and the Nationals are only offering one year. We don’t understand why Bowden would go two years for Shawn Estes and not Loaiza, who, unlike Estes, has finished with an ERA over 5.00 only two of the last three years. The Rangers are also believed to be making a push for Loaiza. According to the Seattle Times, he’s close to signing with a team.

''It’s no big deal,’' Loaiza said. ''We’re just being careful. I’m fine.’'

Loaiza wants a chance to win not just 20 but 21 games, which would tie him with Fernando Valenzuela for most wins by a Mexican-born pitcher. He’ll face the Yankees Wednesday and the Royals Sunday.

Loaiza is in a slump, so this probably isn’t the best time for him to be working on short rest. That doesn’t mean we’re recommending benching him, however.