Could the SF Giants and Atlanta Braves connect for a trade at the MLB trade deadline?
This is an idea that makes too much sense. The Atlanta Braves could use another outfielder and the SF Giants have a familiar name in Joc Pederson that they could flip at the deadline.
Could the SF Giants and Atlanta Braves connect for a trade at the MLB trade deadline?
Braves outfielder Adam Duvall underwent surgery on his wrist that will keep him out for the remainder of the 2022 season. To make matters worse, Eddie Rosario has struggled to the tune of a .414 OPS in 103 plate appearances this season.
The Braves could use some reinforcements and the Giants have just what they need. Pederson is in the midst of a one-year, $6 million pact that he signed with San Francisco just before the season began.
This has proven to be a very nice deal as the 30-yera-old outfielder has slashed .246/.321/.500 (127 OPS+) with 17 home runs, 43 RBI, and 36 runs in 280 plate appearances while earning his second National League All-Star bid. This includes an 8.9 percent walk rate against a 22.1 percent strikeout rate.
He has been as advertised as he has added tremendous power to a Giants lineup that badly needs it. Of course, Pederson's bat has been through the peaks and valleys in a Giants uniform.
He is in the midst of one of those valleys as he has registered a .437 OPS in 63 plate appearances in July. His struggles mirror that of the Giants as they are enduring a seven-game losing streak.
With that being said, the nine-year veteran has proven that he can carry an offense when he is locked in. The Braves know this, too. The left-handed bat was a midseason acquisition by Atlanta just last offseason.
He blasted seven home runs and 22 RBI down the stretch with the Braves last year. This was not an earth-shattering performance, but it is what he did in the playoffs where he made a name for himself.
Pederson tallied seven hits, including two home runs, with five RBI and three runs in seven plate appearances during the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers. This helped the Braves secure a 3-1 series victory, which became the first step in their first World Series championship since 1996.
The lefty bat has posted an .814 OPS with 12 home runs and 29 RBI in 218 playoff plate appearances. He is built for the spotlight and he has proven that over and over again.
The question is, would the Giants be willing to trade Pederson? At 48-50, all options have to be on the table. It bears mentioning that the return for Pederson might be minimal due to the fact that he is a rental. Despite this, sometimes those moves pay off.