The SF Giants bullpen got off to a rough start in 2023, but they have been better lately as they have posted a 2.90 ERA since the start of May. Bullpen help is not a huge need, but it is something that competitive teams look to bolster at the deadline. Could a division rival help them out?
3 Rockies relievers who the SF Giants could target at the trade deadline
According to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post, the Colorado Rockies are generating plenty of interest in their veteran relievers. The Rockies are off to a disastrous start as they have a 34-55 record while sitting comfortably in last place in a tough NL West.
The lens should shift to future seasons soon enough if it has not happened already. The bullpen market does not generally yield huge returns and that trend continued recently. Nevertheless, the Rockies should still look at ways to better position future rosters.
They have a couple of interesting position players in C.J. Cron or Randall Grichuk, but no one is going to yield significant returns. The most interesting players they have to trade do pitch out of the bullpen. With that in mind, who could be of interest to San Francisco?
1. Brent Suter
Brent Suter is likely the best reliever that the Rockies are willing to trade. He is currently on the injured list, but when healthy, he has been one of the Rockies' best relievers. The lefty reliever has registered a 2.81 ERA, 3.41 FIP, 1.17 WHIP, 7.1 K/9, and a 2.36 SO/W ratio in 31 appearances this season.
This includes only two home runs allowed across 41.2 innings while playing half of his games in the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. The Giants have two solid bullpen options from the left side including Taylor Rogers and Scott Alexander, but they do not currently have a reliable lefty pitcher in the rotation, so they can mitigate some of that need by adding another southpaw.
Suter signed a one-year, $3 million contract last winter, so he would be a rental. Contract status will be a factor as teams generally target rentals at the trade deadline because the financial and prospect cost is lower than if they had multiple years of team control.
This is why someone like Daniel Bard probably is not available. The 38-year-old is under contract through the 2024 season and has tallied a 1.82 ERA in 28 games for the Rockies in 2023.