San Francisco Giants Trade Deadline Overview

Outfield

Injuries strike every team throughout a 162-game season, but the Giants have already had to deal with a bit more than most other clubs. Two starters in the outfield, Hunter Pence and Angel Pagan, are currently on the disabled list. Pagan has been out since May 23 with a strained left hamstring, though reports say he could begin a rehab assignment next week. Pence, of course, recently underwent surgery to repair a torn hamstring and is expected to miss at least two months.

The initial buzz was that the Giants would attempt to address these losses internally, and that’s indeed what they have done to this point. Gregor Blanco and Jarrett Parker have primarily filled in at the corner outfield spots. Neither has been particularly encouraging, though, with an OPS of .655 and .706, respectively.

In Thursday night’s game against the Red Sox, 25-year-old Mac Williamson started in left and hit his first career home run in the bottom of the eighth to seal a 2-1 victory. A third round draft pick in 2012, San Francisco might give him more opportunities to see what he can do.

The Giants have also looked outside the organization in the past couple days for other alternatives. On Thursday they signed veteran outfielder Chris Denorfia to a minor league contract. A day earlier, they reunited with utility man Travis Ishikawa, also on a minors pact. Could they also take a flyer on Carl Crawford, with their division rivals picking up the tab? Eh, don’t hold your breath.

In the event that none of these options pan out, San Francisco could explore a trade for a more productive piece. It’s difficult to imagine them going overboard. After all, Pagan’s return in reportedly imminent and Pence should be back in early August if all goes well. However, considering their history of injury troubles, reinforcements might not be a bad idea.

The Cincinnati Reds are expected to shop Jay Bruce, and he could be a potential fit. The slugger is a career .321/.391/.469 hitter at AT&T Park and would bring some needed pop to a lineup currently ranked 18th in MLB in OPS (.716). The Padres’ Jon Jay would likely be a cheaper choice, and though he doesn’t bring the power that Bruce does, he is hitting a solid .289 at the moment.

Next: Fortify the Pen