Report: Rockies scouting Orioles' Gausman, Bundy

The Colorado Rockies are in the midst of a tough race in the NL West and are apparently eyeing some extra arms for the stretch run.

Colorado is reportedly scouting Baltimore Orioles starters Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

It's not clear if the teams have had any discussions regarding the two pitchers, though Rosenthal reports the Rockies' interest in Gausman, who hails from the Denver area, is not new.

Gausman and Bundy's names both began surfacing in trade rumors last week after the Orioles moved Manny Machado. Both pitchers have years of team control remaining - Gausman has another two years of arbitration eligibility, while Bundy only enters his first arbitration year this winter - so the Orioles' price for either may be rather high.

As with most years in Colorado, pitching has been the Rockies' problem in 2018. Only two of their starters have an ERA below 4.00, while high-priced free-agent addition Bryan Shaw has struggled to a 6.98 ERA. But despite the mound woes, the Rockies are still in the thick of the playoff race and enter Monday just two games out of first place.

Gausman owns a 4.33 ERA with 97 strikeouts across 19 starts this season. The 27-year-old has proven to be a durable pitcher of late and is on pace to toss over 170 innings for a third consecutive year.

Bundy, the Orioles' first-round pick (fourth overall) in 2011, has struck out 116 hitters while posting a 4.57 ERA in his 19 starts this season. Though he's displayed some of his ace potential, Bundy has developed a propensity for allowing the long ball, as his 1.91 home runs allowed per nine innings ranks second worst in the majors.

The Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, and Milwaukee Brewers have also been linked to Bundy and Gausman.