© Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants did well to satisfy several of their needs this offseason with a number of key trades that brought third baseman Evan Longoria and right fielder Andrew McCutchen to Northern California.
However, question marks remain as the Giants prepare for their Spring Training schedule, and Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle didn’t count out the possibility of the team making another trade on Tolbert & Lund Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s still possibly the Giants could trade one of the young pitchers for an everyday centerfielder,” Schulman said. “I think that’s still on the table, although as the spring goes on it’s less and less likely that you’re going to see the Reds move a Billy Hamilton, or the Nationals move one of their surplus outfielders.”
As it stands, Gorkys Hernandez, Jackson, and Blanco will serve as the platoon in centerfield, if they all perform well during Spring Training. Prospect outfielder Steven Duggar will have a shot at making the Opening Day roster, but it’s believed the Giants want the 24-year-old to spend a little more time in Triple-A Sacramento before making his major league debut.
When it comes to the starting staff, all signs are pointing towards Ty Blach and Chris Stratton assuming the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation, but the Giants aren’t ruling Tyler Beede or Andrew Suarez out of the conversation. More than likely, they’d be the pitchers to go in a trade that would bring a starting centerfielder to San Francisco, should one be drawn up by the Giants.
“There’s so much that could happen,” Schulman said. “We come to Spring Training, even as reporters who have been to camp year after year after year, we try to get answers to all of these questions right away and then so many things are going to happen between now and the 23rd when the team breaks camp, and even March 29 when the season opens.”
To listen to the full interview check out the podcast below, and skip to 3:57 for Schulman on the Giants.