The Giants Are a Starter Away From Being a Wild-Card Threat

The San Francisco Giants have had one of the most interesting seasons across Major League Baseball, and it has only made the trade deadline even more confusing. For the majority of the first half, they looked like slam-dunk buyers with a legitimate shot at knocking off the Dodgers for the National League West title.

However, fast-forward to July 30, and the team is right at .500 and are a major league worst 14-25 since June 13. While many people would expect them to sell after a run like that, it still remains to be seen.

After going out and acquiring Rafael Devers, you never know what’s up Buster Posey’s sleeve, and the last two weeks have made that as interesting as ever. Posey has been adamant about trying to win and trusting the guys he has on his roster. For that reason, it’s still very possible that the team buys.

Why a Starter Makes Sense For San Francisco

If you were to look at the Giants through their first two months, starting pitching would probably be the last thing on your mind. Logan Webb and Robbie Ray were electric, Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp were showing significant upside, and Kyle Harrison and Justin Verlander were fine fifth options.

However, across the last month or so, starting pitching looks like a desperate need.

Webb and Ray have still been good for the most part with Roupp being one of the best No. 3 starters in baseball. However, after that, it’s been shaky.

Harrison and Jordan Hicks, two back-end rotation options, were shipped off to Boston in the Devers deal. Birdsong, on the other hand, was getting rocked every fifth day, eventually getting optioned to Triple-A Sacramento to work on things.

To make things worse, Roupp recently hit the IL with elbow inflammation. Although MRIs showed no structural damage, that’s still a few turns without your No. 3. San Francisco has resorted to calling up their top pitching prospect, Carson Whisenhunt, and even mixing in some bullpen games.

Wild-Card Threat?

While many have forgotten about the Giants as a wild-card threat in recent weeks, it’s still early. Even after the rough month, they sit only five games back of the third playoff spot. While it’s definitely not ideal, it’s still surmountable.

To add to the fact, they play the Padres and the Cardinals, two teams ahead of them in the standings, 12 times throughout the rest of the season. One hot two-week stretch puts them right back in the thick of it.

Another important aspect of this is the offense. While it was mediocre to start the year and still isn’t great, it has been better of late. Willy Adames has been one of the best hitters in baseball, with a 172 wRC+, 10 home runs, and a .311/.393/.581 slash line in his last 41 games.

Devers, who got off to a slow start with the team, has also gotten going. Since July 20, he is slashing .303/.378/.545 with two home runs. Mix in Matt Chapman, Heliot Ramos, Jung Hoo Lee, and some other solid role players, and that’s a good enough offense if the pitching is doing its part.

That is exactly why a good starter is so important for this San Francisco team. In order for that offense to match up with teams like the Dodgers, Phillies, or Cubs, the Giants’ pitching needs to be near the top of baseball. And as of late, it simply hasn’t.

However, if you mix in some of the options mentioned below, the conversation completely changes. Should the Giants swing for any of these names, they get another top-of-the-rotation arm and most likely have their Game 2 or 3 starter in a hypothetical playoff series.

Possible Fits

There are several names who could be traded between now and Thursday’s trade deadline who could provide an enormous boost to the Giants’ starting rotation. The following are a few arms who could be perfect fits:

Joe Ryan – 10-5, 2.82 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 2.9 fWAR

Merrill Kelly – 9-6, 3.22 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 2.2 fWAR

Mitch Keller – 4-10, 3.69 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 2.6 fWAR

Sandy Alcantara – 5-9, 6.66 ERA, 4.47 FIP, 0.7 fWAR

Shane Bieber – Has not thrown (Tommy John recovery)

Luis Severino – 4-11, 4.95 ERA, 4.21 FIP, 1.7 fWAR

Note: Seth Lugo would have been the perfect fit, however, he just signed a two-year extension with the Kansas City Royals

Final Thoughts

While the clock is ticking for Buster Posey to pick a direction this deadline, there are a handful of arms who can help the Giants’ chances down the stretch. With an offense that has looked better of late, adding a starting pitcher may just help San Francisco sneak their way into the third wild-card spot.

It is going to be an uphill climb, but Buster Posey is no stranger to that. He was on several teams that looked dead in the water come July and went on to win it all in October.

If there is anybody who knows how to flip the script, it’s him. With a bold move at the deadline, the Giants may just be able to turn this chaotic season into one they’ll never forget.