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Moving Matt Garza

Toronto, Boston and San Diego might be on the hunt for pitcher Matt Garza. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Editor's note: Gio Gonzalez was traded to the Washington Nationals shortly after this story was posted.

With the Chicago White Sox signing John Danks to a five-year extension worth a reported $65 million on Wednesday night, and the San Diego Padres trading Mat Latos on Saturday, it lessens the number of attractive starting pitchers on the trade market.

Of course, veterans such as Roy Oswalt, Edwin Jackson and Hiroki Kuroda remain on the free-agent market, but A's lefty Gio Gonzalez and Cubs righty Matt Garza are two of the most valuable young starters who could be had via trade.

On Wednesday, I posed five trades for Gonzalez, who I think will move first, so today we'll look at three potential suitors for Garza. Keep in mind the markets, and therefore the trade partners, are similar for both. However, Gonzalez is the better pitcher and would fetch a larger return than Garza. Nevertheless, there are three teams that should be in play for Garza. Each team has a clear need and legitimate reasons for pursuing a potential No. 2 starter with the health and ability to miss bats that Garza possesses.

1. Garza to the Toronto Blue Jays

In return: RHP Kyle Drabek, OF Anthony Gose

As Buster Olney reported today, the Texas Rangers clearly outbid their competition for the services of Japanese free-agent pitcher Yu Darvish. Whether the Jays were close in the bidding for Darvish is debatable. There’s no debate, however, that Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos continues to search for starting pitching.