San Francisco Giants Monday Mailbag: Minor league positions, trade targets, and more
Trade Targets?
This was a really interesting question, and I actually think It’s a valid one. The Giants have a few issues here that likely won’t be able to be resolved in house. There are two areas where they will need an upgrade via trade: A left handed middle reliever, and left field.
Even if the Giants brought up Steven Okert, they would have only two options there in the bullpen. Okert also, apparently doesn’t have the organization convinced he can be a left handed middle relief option. So they’ll likely look outside of the organization to fill that hole before turning the role over to Okert. Even then, they would likely need another option there anyways, so then a trade becomes necessary. Trade targets for that role?
- Antonio Bastardo, LHP, Pirates
- Tony Watson, LHP, Pirates
If the Giants were just looking for middle relief help in general, regardless of pitching hand, Nate Jones would be a solid option, the righty from the White-Sox. He shouldn’t be all that expensive either. However, the Giants should look for a lefty, and a good one, but one that won’t cost too much, because they might have to “pay” a lot of a left field option.
As far as left field goes, their elite trade targets are still the main options, and it’s the ones we heard during the offseason:
Now, a funky thing, with two targets we’ve kind of heard the Giants asking about, is that these guys play center-field, but could force Span over, or could play center themselves.
McCutchen has been a part of trade discussions and speculations over the entire offseason. Lorenzo Cain is one who could surface. The Royals are at a point where they likely won’t be able to keep everyone on big contracts. Around KC, it’s being labeled as sort of a last hurrah with the core that went to back to back World Series, and won one. Cain would likely be one of the players floated by the Royals if they were out of playoff contention around the deadline. That scenario would have a lot of moving parts and is the least likely of any. But that’s kind of what we’re looking at here.