San Francisco Giants: Building a trade with the Boston Red Sox

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JUNE 02: Tony Watson #56 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the top of the eighth inning at AT&T Park on June 2, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

The San Francisco Giants will be selling at the trade deadline. As such, Marc Delucchi has been profiling how each contender could build a package to acquire one of their best pieces. Next up, the Boston Red Sox.

Relative to recent history, the last month has been a positive for San Francisco Giants fans.

Since June 1, the team is 17-13, and they are currently in the middle of a four-game winning streak. Earlier this week, the Giants topped off their draft class by inking a top five round prospect to an above-slot bonus. Furthermore, a number of the organizations top prospects have been performing well, including Marco Luciano who’s putting up historic numbers.

Yet, the Giants remain eight games under .500 and they are still not within shouting distance of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

The front office knows what to do at the trade deadline. Any veterans with value, especially those destined for free agency like longtime cornerstone Madison Bumgarner and All-Star Will Smith, will be made available to contenders for younger assets.

The Boston Red Sox circumstance is murkier.

Coming off a 108-win season that culminated in a World Series title, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski brought back almost the entire core. The one major exception was closer Craig Kimbrel.

As Kimbrel’s free agency drew out into June, the Red Sox remained hampered by an incompetent bullpen, and he has since signed with the Chicago Cubs.

Dombrowski has always been known for his aggressive mindset, and in years past he would not have been afraid to dive into the trade market for a necessary upgrade. However, this year is different.

For one, the Red Sox easily have the weakest farm system in baseball. Dombrowski has never been afraid to trade top prospects for big league talent, but the top-tier talent just isn’t there this year.

Another problem for the Red Sox is their divisional competition. They are eleven games behind the division-leading New York Yankees and 6.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays. If the season were to end today, they wouldn’t even be in the wild-card game. Is it worth further depleting the farm system to compete for a one-game playoff?

There is definitely an argument to stand pat at the deadline, but if they do decide to go for it, the Giants will have a number of options for their bullpen.

DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 3: Relief pitcher Tony Watson #56 of the San Francisco Giants delivers to home plate during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 3, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

San Francisco Giants Trade Proposal #1

Giants Get: RHP Durbin Feltman, RHP Zach Schellenger
Red Sox Get: LHP Tony Watson, cash

Reports have already shown the Red Sox surveying the market for bullpen upgrades. Will Smith would be the perfect kryptonite for Boston’s bullpen woes. Their bullpen lacks anyone they can have great confidence in and is also right-handed heavy. Smith would solve both of those problems.

However, Smith is a free agent at season’s end and would likely cost the Red Sox two of their top five prospects. Dombrowski’s known for his aggressiveness, but even that seems like too much for him.

Sam Dyson and Reyes Moronta would also easily become the strongest options in Boston’s pen, but both have team control beyond this season and would similarly cost an excessive number of prospects.

That leaves Tony Watson as the most likely target.

While Watson is probably only the fourth-best reliever in the Giants pen, he still has a stronger resume than anyone in Boston, and may even have a case to be their closer. He also has another year of team control remaining after this season with a player option that is almost sure to be exercised.

Reports have suggested money could limit Boston’s flexibility at the deadline and the Giants would likely be willing to cover a large portion of his salary for a fair return.

A recent report announced that the Red Sox will move starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi into the closer spot upon his return from the injured list. Watson’s closer history and effectiveness as the Giants eighth-inning man would give Boston that flexibility.

Watson would reinforce the bullpen’s depth and would pair well with Josh Taylor to give manager Alex Cora a pair of lefties to work with late in games.

Furthermore, Watson wouldn’t cost a lot in terms of prospects. His ERA is only 2.48, but there are some red flags in his performance. His strikeout rate is at a career-low and he’s relied on a very high LOB%. However, the Red Sox don’t have the prospect capital to acquire a perfect reliever.

Durbin Feltman has a chance to be the first player from the 2018 MLB Draft to make his major league debut. Boston’s third-round pick that year has a strong fastball-slider combo that is made to thrive in the back of a bullpen. While he could profile as a closer for Boston one day, he still has to refine his command.

In his first full season, Feltman was given the aggressive assignment to Double-A. In 31 innings, he has struck out a batter an inning, but has also given up 23 free passes while posting a less-than-stellar 4.65 ERA.

Zach Schellenger has dealt with control issue that has made him almost unpitchable since being selected in 2016. A series of injuries have limited him as well, but this season he has walked 34 batters in less than 20 innings of work between Double-A and High-A. Still, he has shown a 93-97 mph fastball with heavy sink along with a slider that has flashed plus.

The Red Sox would get a sturdy reliever under control through next season and the Giants would turn Watson into a pair of young arms with high-leverage potential.

Next. 15 best trade deadline deals in Giants history

Assuming the Boston Red Sox are searching for bullpen upgrades that will allow them to hold onto their top prospects, the San Francisco Giants have a very good option in Tony Watson.

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The San Francisco Giants will be selling at the trade deadline. As such, Marc Delucchi has been profiling how each contender could build a package to acquire one of their best pieces. Next up, the Boston Red Sox.

San Francisco Giants Trade Proposal #1

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