SF Giants add left-handed hurler in trade with the Guardians

The SF Giants have been awfully busy adding pitching to the organization latelly. That trend continued on Monday as it was announced that they had acquired left-handed pitcher Alex Young (no relation) in exchange for cash from the Cleveland Guardians.

SF Giants add left-handed hurler in trade with the Guardians

I feel bad for the Giants' accountant who has to track all of the trades they have made involving cash. I bet he looks a little something like this by the end of the season.

To make room on the 40-man roster, recent acquisition and fellow pitcher Aaron Fletcher was outrighted to Sacramento. The righty had not yet pitched for the Giants organization since being claimed off of waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates a couple of days ago.

On the other hand, Young will join Fletcher in Sacramento as he was optioned to Triple-A following the trade. Young was designated for assignment by the Guardians a couple of days ago.

With the number of pitching additions San Francisco has made recently, it is clear that the front office is looking for a cost-efficient way to bolster the pitching staff. The bullpen, in particular, has struggled to the tune of e 4.19 ERA in 2022 and that will be one area the Giants look to upgrade at the trade deadline.

In Young, the Giants are getting a pitcher with a fair amount of major league experience. He was originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round of the 2015 draft out of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.

In seven minor league seasons, the 28-year-old pitcher has tallied a 4.31 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 7.9 K/9, and a 2.52 SO/W ratio while splitting time evenly in the rotation and the bullpen. He debuted for the Diamondbacks in 2019 where he posted a 3.56 ERA, 4.81 FIP, 7.7 K/9, and a 2.63 SO/W ratio across 83.1 frames.

This was a strong rookie season but the lefty was unable to replicate that level of success. Since the start of 2020, Young has registered a 6.02 ERA in 98.2 combined innings with the Diamondbacks and Guardians.

Young flashes a sinker that sits in the high 80's that he pairs with a curveball and a changeup. He throws a cutter as well, but opposing hitters have regularly done damage against it including a .390 batting average against it in 2021.

His curveball has proven to be a tough pitch to hit (.208 batting average against in 2021) and his changeup has occasionally been effective. Perhaps, a change in pitch mix that leans more heavily on the curveball could pay dividends.

That will be for the Giants to figure out. San Francisco has added plenty of new arms recently and they have added another one in Young. The southpaw has had some level of success in the past, and the Giants will be tasked with helping him rediscover that form.