(Mariners make a shrug emoji trade) MLB trade grades: Giants add depth, hope A.J. Pollock has something left in the tank
|
The trade
Giants get: OF A.J. Pollock, UT Mark Mathias and cash considerations
Mariners get: Player to be named later or cash considerations
Grant Brisbee: The Giants didn’t have to get another outfielder — they currently have eight players on the active roster who have appeared in the outfield within the last 15 months, and when Thairo Estrada comes back, he’ll make nine. But to give you an idea of how their depth has been tested since Mitch Haniger’s injury, here you go: They’ve used Joc Pederson in the outfield 10 times in July, which is approximately 10 times more than they wanted to use him in the outfield this season. Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Slater have made for an effective center field platoon, but both of them have fought injuries. Slater, in particular, has been told not to run at full speed if he can help it, which is something you can get away with more in a corner outfield spot.
If A.J. Pollock is the answer, though, it’s a pretty weird question. The 35-year-old was hitting .173/.225/.323 for the Mariners this season in 138 plate appearances, and he had a 93 OPS+ in full-time action with the White Sox last year. He was generally excellent for his career before that, so it’s not the wackiest idea to think that guy is still in there, at least against left-handed pitchers. But there’s also the opportunity cost of the 26-man roster spot, and it might be rookie Luis Matos who gets hosed with the roster spot. Matos is almost certainly the better player right now, so if that’s the roster accommodation, it’s more than a little curious.
As for Mark Mathias, he’s a recent waiver claim of the Mariners who fits perfectly with the strange and amusing recent trade history between the Giants and Seattle, which has included (deep breath) Jack Larsen, Jacob Nottingham, Michael Stryffeler, Stuart Fairchild, Mike Ford and Donovan Walton since the start of the 2021 season. The Giants and Blue Jays have made six trades in their franchise histories; the Giants and Mariners have made seven trades since April 2022. Mathias will probably be designated for assignment in the next week or so, if the past is any guide.
Uh, well, best of luck anyway.
The Mariners will reportedly get Petey Enbiell, a prospect who isn’t showing up in any of my searches on Baseball-Reference or FanGraphs. I don’t even know if he’s a hitter or a … hold on, my editor is sending me an angry Slack message.
Ohhhhhh, a PTNBL. That’s much different. And about what Pollock and Mathias are worth in this market. It’s a weird trade from the Giants’ perspective, and it’s an inconsequential one from the Mariners’.
Mariners: Pass
Giants: C-
|
Responses:
|
