The Giants Need a Steve Pearce

Just last month, the Red Sox filled their need for a solid right-handed bat that could mash lefties in Steve Pearce.  While sometimes these moves can seem minor, they can have major implications as the baseball calendar turns to the fall. If the Yankees were to come back and take the AL East from the Red Sox, Pearce could be a difference maker in a one game playoff against James Paxton and the Mariners.  Having him available off the bench to pinch-hit against Andrew Miller in an ALCS could also be a difference maker.  Not to mention any of the left-handed starters Pearce could see in October.  Just last night, Pearce delivered the only RBI in 1-0 Red Sox victory over lefty Matt Boyd and the Detroit Tigers.

There is another team in the majors that needs to make a similar type of deal: the San Francisco Giants.  I know what you may be asking yourself: The Los Angeles Dodgers just acquired Manny Machado, one of the top players in the league, increasing their chances of winning the NL West by 10%, and you’re telling me that the Giants response should be to acquire a platoon bat? By the end of this I hope you can see where I am coming from.

The Giants are still holding strong in the NL playoff hunt besides facing troubles early in the season due to missing two key pieces from their starting rotation: Jonny Cueto and Madison Bumgarner. They currently sit 4 games back in the NL West and also 4 games back from the second wild card spot. FanGraphs playoff odds still gives the Giants a 18% chance of making the playoffs, and the Giants have to like their chances of winning a one game playoff with Madison Bumgarner on the hill.  Now with both Cueto and Bumgarner back in the rotation and a bullpen that currently ranks 3rd in the NL in WAR (4.0) and 1st in FIP (3.42), the Giants are in a good spot on the mound moving into the second half of the season.

From a position player standpoint, the Giants are built around their three stars: Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, and Brandon Belt. You can see that this is a solid core to build a team around:

Outside this core group of players is where the Giants are really hurting.  In the outfield they have two average players in Andrew McCutchen (1.0 WAR) and Gorkys Hernandez (0.7 WAR) with newly called up prospect Steven Duggar taking over centerfield duties. The Giants also have a hole at third base in Pablo Sandoval (0.1 WAR), who isn’t performing any better than Evan Longoria (out with a broken bone in his hand).

The Giants recently made some moves to shed some payroll, parting ways with Austin Jackson (-0.8 WAR), who has been one of the worst players in the majors this year, in a trade to the Texas Rangers.  The move opened up room for Duggar to takeover and gave the club more financial wiggle room to make additions to improve the club. Now that Jackson is no longer on the roster, Hunter Pence (-0.7 WAR) takes over as the player on the Giants roster closest to being a win under replacement.

A bright spot has emerged for the Giants this year as second baseman Joe Panik has struggled with injuries: Alen Hanson. Hanson, once a highly regarded prospect in the Chicago White Sox system, has recorded a 0.9 WAR in only 54 games this season.  Hanson absolutely mashes righties, as his 148 wRC+ against RHP ranks 28th in the majors. While Hanson has been providing value against righties, he has struggled mightily against left handed pitching.  Unfortunately for the Giants, he isn’t the only player in the infield getting eaten up by southpaws:

The Giants rank 23rd in the Majors in Team wRC+ vs. lefties (90), and in a division featuring left-handed arms like Clayton Kershaw and Alex Wood (Dodgers), Patrick Corbin and Robbie Ray (Diamondbacks), and Kyle Freeland and Tyler Anderson (Rockies), the Giants would be wise to acquire a platoon bat capable of handling lefties.

The trade market this year isn’t very deep, and after the Machado and Brad Hand/Adam Cimber trades a lot of the big names are already off of the board.  Now is the time for teams to make moves at the margins, and this is an ideal time for an organization like San Francisco to strike. Given that the Giants have a weaker farm system and aren’t looking to add a ton of salary as they hover close to the Competitive Balance Tax (the fancy word for luxury tax), here are three options that I think may be a fit for San Francisco come August:

Sean Rodriguez (Pirates)

Yes, you are reading Rodriguez’s wRC+ against RHP’s right, it really is a 29.  On top of that, Rodriguez has only been worth 0.0 WAR (it feels weird saying “worth” for a player who honestly isn’t worth much) and this is after a huge night at the plate last night in a Pirates thumping of the Reds. He loves the lefties though, and this isn’t just a flash in the pan, Rodriguez has a 136 wRC+ against LHP for his career.  He is capable of playing second, third, and corner outfield, so he could either relieve Sandoval/Hanson or the Giants could move Gorkys Hernandez to center field and put Rodriguez in left on nights the team is facing a lefty.  From a contractual standpoint, Rodriguez is still owed a little over $2m, but I’d like to think the Pirates and Giants could work something out here.  I get this wouldn’t be the trade of the century, but for an organization lacking significant prospects and financial wiggle room, Rodriguez would come at a low cost, potentially even for free via waivers.

Danny Valencia (Orioles)

Valencia may be the most appealing options for the Giants, as he currently plays for a team that has openly stated they are rebuilding and selling off veteran assets: the Baltimore Orioles. He is currently sporting a -0.3 WAR, so it’s safe to say the Orioles would be happy to part ways with him and let someone else pay his remaining salary for the season. Valencia is the cheapest of these options as well as he only owed about half a million dollars through the rest of the year. Valencia is capable of playing third base as well as corner outfield and has been mashing lefties this year to the tune of a 135 wRC+, which is right in line with his career wRC+ of 136.  Valencia would come at an extremely low cost and the Giants could easily claim him from the O’s on waivers next month.

Jedd Gyorko (Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals are a few more losses away in the Windy City from raising the white flag and selling off assets, and Gyorko is surely a name that will be shopped by President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak.  Gyorko has put up 0.5 WAR this season in a part-time role and continues to rake against lefties.  Gyorko has always had success against them, as his 125 career wRC+ shows. He is capable of playing all over the infield, so the Giants could easily slot him at second or third.  He is the best player in the group, and most likely would require the greatest return, so this one may be a little more far-fetched for the Giants. Gyorko is also by far the most expensive from a financial standpoint, as he’s still owed over $3m for the rest of this season and $7m next season ($5m is being picked up by the Padres from a previous trade with St. Louis).  This option is the least likely for the Giants, as his price tag from both a financial and prospect standpoint would be too much for San Francisco to stomach.  If they do decide to make this kind of move, Jedd Gyorko seems like a great option.

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Rodriguez and Valencia would surely be acquired via waivers after the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31st, as the Giants simply taking on their remaining salary would be worth it to either the Pirates or the Orioles.  Gyorko on the other hand will come with a higher price tag if he is even made available, as you can pencil him in for 2-3 WAR every season and he is on a team-friendly deal.

This would be an improvement at the margins for the Giants, but come September and October these types of moves can prove to be a difference maker, especially in a very crowded NL Playoff race.  The Giants don’t have a ton of wiggle room from a financial standpoint and don’t have the depth in their farm system to pull off a big trade, so they should be doing everything in their power to improve the club’s biggest weaknesses.  Like the Red Sox realized last month, acquiring a player that is capable of hitting lefties is a cost-effective strategy to improve the offense.  While this would merely be a marginal victory for the Giants, these can turn into much bigger victories come October.  We are in an even year…