SF Giants found a way to milk more out of White Sox farm system in Robbie Ray trade talks

SF Giants starter Robbie Ray likely made his last start with the team on Thursday night and it was a good one. Ray pitched six strong innings and only allowed one earned run, lowering his ERA on the season to 3.08.

He was a good Giant in his roughly two years with the club but now he is almost certainly going to be traded to some contending team in need of starting pitching. If the Giants want to get a better prospect haul, paying down some or all of Ray’s remaining contract would be a good way to do that. The Giants are reportedly willing to pay it down.

Coming into the season, the Chicago White Sox didn’t seem like a team that would be trading for a rental pitcher at the trade deadline. Yet, they are leading the American League Central and could use another starting pitcher. Jeff Passan of ESPN sees the White Sox as a fit for Ray.

Ray would make a lot of sense on the South Side and the Giants really should pitch in some money because it could make all the difference in a return. Ray is reportedly owed a little less than $8 million the rest of this season which may not seem like a ton but every dollar matters to teams so paying that down is a no-brainer for San Francisco.

Giants adding money to Robbie Ray trade likely means better prospects

Perhaps if the Giants offered Ray to Chicago without offering to pay down any money they’d be staring at a return of right-handed pitcher David Sandlin and catcher Fernando Graterol, ranked No. 8 and No. 22 in Chicago’s organization respectively.

Maybe if they are generous and chip in some cash they could get a haul of left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith, ranked No. 2 in the organization, and catcher Landon Hodge, ranked No. 16.

That could be the difference between landing a legit big league player or a guy who never pans out. Of course, trades for prospects don’t always pan out and it really amounts to just rolling the dice but when a team hits on a prospect it can change the fortunes of a franchise.

Ray is going to be on the move but the White Sox make sense as a landing spot. They have some promising young pitchers and the Giants would be wise to continue to load up the farm system with young arms. They won’t hit on all of them but if they add a lot perhaps some will turn out to be good. Chipping in money only increases the odds that they get one of the good ones. 

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