With the All-Star Break beginning and the trade deadline just a month away, debate is raging as to what the Giants should do, if anything, to improve their squad in the next month.
Most projections have San Francisco, 49-41, with a little over a 50 percent chance to make the playoffs. At the moment, middle infield depth and starting pitching are the two areas of concern. According to Giants beat writer Susan Slusser, the middle infield issue will likely be solved by the team getting healthier, rather than reinforcements.
“There were kind of rumblings maybe about getting a middle infielder,” Slusser said. “Farhan Zaidi was pretty clear the other day that they’ve got guys coming off the injured list like Thairo Estrada. They’ve been in this position before. They got get J.D. Davis last year when [Evan] Longoria is on the IL, and then J.D. Davis ends up sitting for the rest of the year. So, they kind of keep those things in mind.
“Will they go out and get a Tim Anderson, who done almost nothing all year? Tony Kemp, who’s done very little? Those are the kind of guys that would be available, so I’m not sure. Unless they think ‘We can get this guy for not a lot and then when push comes to shove maybe let him go.’ I don’t know.”
Starting pitching, however, is a different story. Only Logan Webb and Alex Cobb have been consistently good in the first half. If there is someone good available, SF could pounce.
“I think their take on starting pitching is, if they feel like someone is a legit front-of-the-rotation starter, they are in that rotation,” Slusser said. “This is something Zaidi was very clear about the other day. That’s what they’re interested in, like any contender is interested in, in a front-line starter. They are not looking for starting pitching depth. They are not looking for 4s and 5s, they are looking for 1s and 2s, and some of those guys are going to be available.
“They certainly have the farm system to do it. They have the money to do it. If it’s some sort of combination, I think they would be right in the hunt for say a Scherzer, who I have always wanted to see pitch in the Bay Area, I think that would be so fun. A [Lucas] Giolito, a [Marcus] Stroman. The fact the Cubs aren’t having extension talks, I think he’s clearly going to be available.”
As for Shohei Ohtani, if he’s available and would be willing to extend long-term, that’s obviously a no-brainer.
“I would trade the farm.”
Catch Papa & Lund weekdays from 6 – 10 a.m. on KNBR 104.5 / 680 and streaming live on KNBR.com.