Rotation
From a macro-perspective, the Giants wouldn’t seem to need much help in the starting pitching department. San Francisco starters have managed a 3.51 ERA, the sixth-best mark in baseball. However, that has a lot to do with the top two guys in the rotation.
Madison Bumgarner has been his usual dominant self, spinning off a sparkling 1.88 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 3.96 K/BB ratio in 13 starts. Free agent signee Johnny Cueto has seemingly put his erratic Royals tenure behind him, posting a 2.16 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 4.26 K/BB in 13 outings.
Jeff Samardzija, another offseason addition, has done a respectable job keeping pace, sporting a 3.33 ERA after 12 trips to the hill. However, over his last two starts the right-hander has surrendered 10 earned runs on 15 hits in 10 innings. Though his early success in 2016 shouldn’t be discounted, it’s hard not to forget that Samardzija sputtered to a 4.96 ERA last year with the White Sox while allowing 118 earned runs on 228 hits – both MLB highs. While he might not completely turn back into a pumpkin, he certainly could regress somewhat from his sterling first two months.
The back-end of the Giants rotation has been filled by veteran Jake Peavy, who owns a bloated 6.41 ERA, and Matt Cain, who landed on the disabled list a couple weeks ago with a hamstring strain. He could return as early as next week, but when he was on the mound, he wasn’t very inspiring either, throwing to a 5.20 ERA in 10 starts.
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26-year-old Albert Suarez has made a couple spot starts this month and not embarrassed himself, allowing five earned runs on eight hits in a total of 11.1 frames (3.97 ERA). With an eye on a postseason berth, San Francisco could decide to aim a little higher and target a more dependable arm to slot into the middle of its rotation.
Unfortunately, there isn’t exactly a plethora of enticing options. The White Sox traded for James Shields from the Padres this week, and though his first outing in the Windy Cindy couldn’t have gone much worse, pitcher-friendly AT&T Park may have been a good place for him if the money could have been worked out.
Instead, the Giants could turn to someone like Jeremy Hellickson, who the Phillies are reportedly willing to deal. The 29-year-old righty owns a 4.34 ERA and is fanning hitters at a career-high 8.6 K/9 rate. He’ll be a free agent in the offseason. As the Rays fall further out of the AL playoff picture, they could be persuaded to move Jake Odorizzi, who was the subject of trade rumors last winter. The 26-year-old righty sports a 3.47 ERA in 72.2 frames this season and is arbitration-eligible next year.
If San Francisco is feeling more ambitious, they could see what it would take to get Julio Teheran from Atlanta, or look into bringing Sonny Gray over to the other side of the Bay. Gray has a 2.13 ERA in 12.2 innings since coming off the DL. The Braves and A’s would surely demand more in the way of trade packages, though.
Next: Dodgers Trade Deadline Overview
Bumgarner and Cueto are a formidable one-two punch, but when you’re talking about winning playoff series and going deep into October, having a third legitimate starter as well can make all the difference. That might be easier said than done, especially with this summer’s market, but the Giants would do well to try.