Sitting 5.5 games back of the final wild-card spot in the National League with a 49-55 record, the San Francisco Giants have been one of MLB’s surprise disappointments after spending big in the off-season.
The Giants brought in the likes of reigning NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell, Korean star Jung Hoo Lee and third baseman Matt Chapman, among others, in an attempt to return to playoff baseball.
However, with some of its key additions labouring through the first half due to injuries, underperformance, or both, San Francisco could opt to sell off some of its more attractive pieces if the front office is convinced 2024 is a lost season.
Snell, specifically, has been “drawing significant trade interest,” according to a report from The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly on Thursday.
After a difficult beginning to his career in the bay, the 31-year-old southpaw has seemingly found his stride over his past three starts, allowing just two earned runs and six hits over 18.0 innings.
Baggarly reported that “all indications are that the Giants will listen to offers for Snell,” adding that the team would deal the two-time Cy Young winner in an attempt to recoup some of the prospect depth it lost in giving up a third-round pick to sign him.
Thursday marked the unofficial opening of trade season, with the Seattle Mariners acquiring Randy Arozarena and the Arizona Diamondbacks landing reliever A.J. Puk as the July 30 trade deadline looms. So, as deals finally start to come to fruition, here is a look at some of the latest rumours from around MLB.
Rangers officially ‘going for it’
Entering Friday as winners of five straight, the Texas Rangers have picked their direction.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the reigning World Series champs are “going for it” with a 51-52 record that slots them 5.0 games back of the AL West lead.
Rosenthal reported Thursday that Texas will be relying on the pending returns of Cody Bradford, Dane Dunning, Tyler Mahle and Jacob deGrom to support its pitching staff and, instead, will be looking for help on offence.
“What the Rangers want to add, according to sources familiar with their plans, is a bat — either a left-handed hitting outfielder/DH or a platoon-neutral right-handed hitter,” Rosenthal wrote, before identifying Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz as a name of interest.
Diaz, 32, has struggled in 2024 after an All-Star campaign last season. He currently owns a .273/.329/.396 slash line with eight home runs over 94 games. A complicating factor in any potential Diaz deal is that the eight-year MLB veteran is currently on the restricted list due to personal reasons and has yet to play since before the All-Star Break.
Per FanGraphs, the Rangers have a 23.4 per cent shot at making the post-season, and any addition to their offence, which has largely underperformed after an exceptional 2024, could go a long way in helping them improve their chances down the stretch.
Texas ranks 18th in MLB in runs scored, 17th in home runs and 19th in team OPS, with usual contributors Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia playing well below their career norms.
Crochet needs extension to pitch in post-season
One of the top pitchers reportedly available on the market is Garrett Crochet, whose usage over the next few months for any acquiring team was already a concern.
But now, there may be even more cause for concern. According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, any team that trades for Crochet would need to give the six-foot-six lefty an extension if it wants to have him pitch into October.
Crochet comes with two more years of team control after 2024, however, the 25-year-old “won’t move to bullpen and will not take any break” unless he is extended, according to Heyman.
The Chicago White Sox starter has already pitched a career-high 111.1 innings this season, which has given interested teams pause about paying a major price for Crochet ahead of the deadline.
Since being selected in the first round of the 2020 draft, Crochet hadn’t worked as a starting pitcher with the White Sox until this season, where he’s made 21 starts. Those starts have been fantastic, seeing Crochet post a 3.07 ERA with an American League-leading 157 strikeouts and just 25 walks.
With experience out of the bullpen, it might have made sense for a team to trade for Crochet and dial back how much he pitches through the rest of the season, whether by changing his role, having him skip starts, or having him throw on a different schedule.
But with Thursday’s news that Crochet thinks pitching on a starter’s routine is best for his long-term health, it might make the most sense for Chicago to pursue a trade in the winter when the acquiring club would know exactly what it is getting from the 2024 All-Star.
Quick hits
• The White Sox have also been getting serious interest in starter Erick Fedde. Per a report from Yahoo! Sports’ Russell Dorsey, Chicago has 10 teams engaged on the right-hander, with the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals considered the “most aggressive in pursuit.”
• In need of late-inning help, the Philadelphia Phillies have interest in Los Angeles Angels closer Carlos Estevez, according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
• During an “ask me anything” session on Thursday, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand identified the New York Yankees as one of the more active buyers this deadline, “given the number of holes they are likely trying to address.”