The Giants are “drawing [a] fair amount of interest” in right-handed starter Jeff Samardzija and right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland, reports Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (all Twitter links). While Samardzija’s surface-level numbers aren’t exactly appealing this season — 4.86 ERA, 20 homers in 124 innings (1.45 HR/9) — he leads the Majors in K/BB ratio and is fifth in K%-BB% (23.7 percent). Moreover, Schulman notes that other teams simply value Samardzija’s durability. The Giants, too, value Shark’s innings, however, making the situation complicated. Schulman adds that the Giants are willing to think “creatively” in terms of trades, speculating about possible three-team swaps or taking on poor contracts.
As far as Strickland goes, the 28-year-old has a pristine 1.91 ERA with 9.8 K/9 through 33 innings this season. His 5.2 BB/9 rate and 88.5 percent strand rate suggest that there’s probably some regression in order, but the Giants (or an acquiring team) can control Strickland through the 2021 season, so it stands to reason that he’d draw interest as a long-term bullpen option.
More trade buzz from around the game…
- Padres general manager A.J. Preller has been asking for teams’ “top, top prospects” when shopping lefty Brad Hand around the league, an exec that has inquired on Hand tells ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link). While it’s hard to blame the Friars for aiming high — especially with 13 days remaining until the deadline — asking for multiple top-ranked prospects in return for Hand certainly seems like a steep asking price. The 27-year-old Hand does have an impressive 2.25 ERA with 11.4 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 47.7 percent ground-ball rate, though, and he’s controllable through 2019.
- Crasnick also tweets that the Tigers are “optimistic” that they’re getting close to completing a trade or two. GM Al Avila said yesterday that he expects something “soon,” Crasnick notes. The Tigers are known to be marketing the likes of J.D. Martinez, Justin Wilson and Alex Avila, though it’s worth noting that Martinez is in the lineup tonight. Avila is out of the lineup, though that’s likely due to the fact that Detroit is facing a left-handed opponent, and James McCann rakes against southpaw pitching.
- David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that the Royals had a scout in attendance to watch Julio Teheran’s start for the Braves last night. It should be noted, of course, that there were likely a number of clubs on hand and that the Royals are certain to be scouting a number of potential rotation additions. Teheran turned in six innings of two-run ball without allowing a homer, though he also issued four walks and uncorked a wild pitch.
- The Mariners are becoming an “increasingly active” buyer as the deadline approaches, tweets Jon Morosi of MLB.com. Seattle currently sits just 1.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, and GM Jerry Dipoto is prioritizing starting pitching that can be controlled beyond the 2017 season. Seattle has had poor luck in its rotation this year, with Drew Smyly going down to Tommy John surgery and Hisashi Iwakuma missing a huge chunk of the season, to say nothing of injuries to Felix Hernandez and James Paxton. King Felix and Paxton are back in the fold now, but the M’s currently have rookies Andrew Moore and Sam Gaviglio in their rotation.
- MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand hears that the Twins are shying away from rental assets and are focusing primarily on pieces they can control beyond the current season. Minnesota is preparing for the deadline with a buyer’s mindset, but it’s not clear exactly how aggressive they’ll be. ESPN’s Buster Olney recently wrote that Minnesota isn’t prepared to gut its farm system in order to make a significant splash, but if the team isn’t keen on rentals, as Feinsand suggests, then perhaps they’ll zero in on some second-tier assets that will remain under contract through 2018. Speaking purely speculatively, David Phelps, AJ Ramos and Brad Brach are among the bullpen names that could potentially be had without ransacking the farm, while a starter like Edinson Volquez could fit the same bill.
- Despite the loss of Joe Ross for this season (and much of next), further upgrading the bullpen is a larger priority for the Nationals than pursuing a rotation piece, reports Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post. Edwin Jackson is currently getting a chance to make some starts thanks in part to the struggles of righties A.J. Cole and Austin Voth in the minors. Meanwhile, well-regarded prospect Erick Fedde is being stretched back out as a starter after briefly converting to the bullpen, Janes notes.
What would the royals give up for Teheran?
Chris young (pitcher)
Do they have a prospect named Chris Young? Because all I know of is the older 6 foot guy that was good with the Mariners for a year.
Think he was a bit taller than 6-foot.
He’s 6-foot-10.
Lol
You’re spoiling my fun
I forgot to add the 10 sorry.
He got released
Chris Young got DFAd. I think the Braves would expect Major League Controllables or top prospects at the least. To get Teheran I could see a package deal for Raul Mondesi, Ramon Torres, and Eric Skoglund.
Be crazy to give anything of REAL value, maybe projects in the 11 – 20th Range !
They would almost certainly have to headline the deal with Mondesi or Dozier for the Braves to even return their call. Would take much more than one of those guys straight-up though.
I think the Royals are probably a little more favorable of keeping Dozier than Mondesi. If they want to keep both they’d probably have to part with young Major League Talent like Merrifield or Bonifacio. I don’t see them trading away key pieces if they’re trying to make a run.
They need to stay away from him. He’s proven that he was far over rated. I think it’s funny they would ask for top prospects.
I’d trade for him with how bad our Starters have been. But if I were Dayton Moore my offer would be something like Miguel Almonte, Travis Wood, and Ramon Torres for Teheran. He’s definitely not worth top guys IMO.
Proven? He isn’t an ace, but has always pitched well with bad peripherals and has a great road split only doing poorly at Sun Trust Park.
In no way am I saying he is an ace and requires 2 top prospects, but he deserves at least a top 1-5 ORG
How has how proven he’s far overrated? Other than this year, he’s only had 1 bad year, averaging a 3.54 era with 210 innings per season. And even this year, his era is inflated by the launching pad that is sun trust. Last I saw, he had about a 5.3something at home compared to I think it was 2.6something on the road
How has how proven he’s far overrated? Other than this year, he’s only had 1 bad year, averaging a 3.54 era with 210 innings per season. And even this year, his era is inflated by the launching pad that is sun trust. Last I saw, he had about a 5.3something at home compared to I think it was 2.6something on the road. And he has 3 more cheap years of team control
He pitches fairly well against guys not named Bryce Harper,
They would have to give up mondesi or dozier as a headliner and more because those guys barely crack braves top 10 if they even do
Maybe a Tigers/Dodgers Trade tonight.
Why tonight? Still plenty of time
YUUUP!
I still don’t get the fascination in shark
I rather have a pitcher like Clayton Richard over shark any day
“he leads the Majors in K/BB ratio and is fifth in K%-BB% (23.7 percent). Moreover, Schulman notes that other teams simply value Samardzija’s durability”
The fascination is good underlying numbers and lots of innings.
I’m being serious
He is an average pitcher with a nice paycheck
He is not even average. He gets hit hard every single game. Innings eaters arent worth 90 million
He’s been above average for 6 years…
When?
The only time I’ve ever seen him dominate was the first half of the 2016 season. Other than that he has been average
If I was picking between Clayton Richards and him, and they were the same age and contract length…
I would choose Richard
Wait, padresfan writes a comment suggesting he’d prefer a player currently on the Padres over another player, not on the Padres.
Color me shocked. SHOCKED.
Dominating and above average are different things. You’re saying he has to be dominant to be considered above average, and that makes no sense, because then he’d be considered dominant and not above average…
In 2014 between the Cubs and A’s he had a 2.99 ERA, pitched 219 2/3 innings and struck out 202. Not “dominating” enough for you?
He’s just a salty dodger fan can’t do anything but hate on the giants (every single post). Its sad he spends more time hating on us than being a fan out his own team.
1- i barley hate on the giants. Dont need to waste too much time on irrelevant teams. Just happened to happen twice in 3 days. 2- you really want to go back to 2014 to tell me he was good?? You must be a giants fan to put stock back in 2014
Are you saying that what a player did as recently as 3 seasons ago is irrelevant? That all players should be judged on how they’re doing in 2017? Um,… okay, So I guess we have nothing more to discuss here now that you’ve lost all credibility as far as I’m concerned.
You mean like 90% of Giants fans?
Also Samardzijas average ERA the last 6 years is 98, which is just below average
Richard got murdered today. Product of Petco… meet coors field
Insert yankee fan comments about how Brad Hand can be had for Adams and 1-2 low tier prospect(s) here.
Followed by padres fan thinking he should get a top 10 mlb prospect
You’re delusional. Mlb trade rumors started this whole top 10 prospect thing.
I haven’t seen one padre fan that has said that
Several mentioned The Yankees giving up their #1 prospect for Hand
Lol
Trade rumors said that
That’s absurd
Maton makes sense
Most logical padres fans know that Hand is obviously not going to bring back a guy like Torres. Most likely, Preller is using that as a bargaining strategy.
There’s only 2 relievers I can think of that are definitely available that would command a top-10 prospect in my opinion. Raisel Iglesias (club control through 2022, per BBref, and Zach Britton. Maybe I’m missing someone but the point is, Hand isn’t worth that much. 2 top-50 prospects at best (lower half of the top 50, that is), or maybe one top-25 and another top-100.
I did see Britton is linked to the cubs now
Zach Britton has been hurt and is a rental. I’m not sure I see him bringing in a top 10 type at all.
Britton is not a rental
Adams, Guzman, and Fleicer Perez would be enough to land Hand.
Or
Adams and Mateo would be enough.
Hand is great. But 1 top 100 prospect and 2 lower guys or 1 top 100 and another top 10-15 would be enough.
thanks for following indications on where to post bias comments.
Yeah, I am a Padres fan.
Adams is ranked #61 on the top 100 prospect mid season BA list. Perez and Guzman are pitchers with big fastballs who, if developed correctly, could wind up being good starters if not top relievers for the Padres and fit right in on the eta when the padres other pieces are ready. Both are 21.
Mateo is a former top prospect 100 as early as last year, but his speed is unquestionable and elite and he’s 22 and ready when 2019 comes.
Unless the Padres are getting Fedde and Kieboom from the Nationals Adams and Mateo or Adams Guzman and Perez is about what the Padres will be getting in terms of value.
If they get more than that great. But be realistic. The market has some big names.
Adams and Mateo would be ok-ish, I guess. Personally, i’m not sold on Mateo though. If I’m Preller (and I’m not) I would aim for a package of Justus Sheffield, Adams and a lesser guy. maybe aim for Andujar and include a rental.
The Nats aren’t trading for Hand…especially if the cost is 2 of their top 4 prospects. Hand is good but not elite. I doubt the Nats trade Fedde now that Ross is on the shelf for pretty much all of 2017 and 2018. Only way to get Fedde is if a starter is coming back as part of the trade.
If they can’t come to a deal with the Yankees or Nationals, they can always look somewhere else. Maybe the Brewers or Astros.
No way the Yankees give up Mateo and Adams for Hand.
Sheffield and Adams for Hand? The Yankees would hang up. Hand wouldn’t command Sheffield in a 1-for-1
The Yankees won’t trade Chance Adams unless they get a starter in return. They could need 3 starters by spring training next year losing Pineda and possibly Tanaka and CC if the don’t re-sign him.
My bad. My sarcastic post of a lowball offer was not low enough.
You seriously think that was a lowball offer?
Marlins tried to build a super bullpen and got rid of the one guy who was actually good. Poor dysfunction marlins.
Loria is one of the worst owners in MLB
And always has been.
Why in god’s name would anybody Pay anything of Value for Samardzija an over payed underachvieing Number four pitcher !
Look beyond ERA, young Jedi.
No stat can tell you Samardzija is good. And if any stat does it is unreliable
haha. “I think he sucks and anything that says otherwise is wrong! LALALALA”
My friend a giants fan even says he is awful. What tells you he is a good pitcher?
“No stat can tell you Samardzija is good. And if any stat does it is unreliable”
Not too biased are you. Really? Any good stat is irrelevant, and the only reliable ones are the bad ones?
Does your friend still use W-L to determine a pitcher’s value ? Don’t fret, they’ll master kindergarten one day.
You guys take everything too seriously. His only good stat is BB per 9 innings and the strikeout ratio. Everything else is underwhelming. No one wants to take on his awful contract
Aren’t you undervaluing throwing strikes and not walking guys? Plus, he has a 3,52 FIP, a 1.169 WHIP, and he’s almost guaranteed to give you well over 200 innings, What more more do want from a mid-rotation arm?
What team pays a mid rotation arm 90 million? No one. He is a strike thrower and innings eater. ERA is awful in a pitchers park behind a great defense. The contract is the killer with him
HIs yards per catch and touchdown totals are far better than any pitcher in the league. Maybe the Patriots would be interested?
You’re ignoring my ask for a comparable that’s cheaper. Samardzija’s best comparisons are Zimmermann and Leake. Shark is slightly cheaper than Zimmermann but much better. He’s better than Leake, and only slightly more expensive. So your argument is without validity unless you can come up with a guy on a FA contract that’s better and cheaper. I think you haven’t provided one because one doesn’t exist. What Samardzija makes IS the going rate for a mid-rotation innings-eater. That’s a fact.
“What team pays a mid rotation arm 90 million? No one.”
The Tigers will pay Jordan Zimmermann $92mm over this season and the next 3. He’s given them a 5.22 ERA, an 82 ERA+, a 4.96 FIP, a 1.425 WHIP, and a 2.50 SO/W over the length of the contract so far.
Samardzija is owed $79.2mm over the same period of time and has given the Giants a 4.21 ERA, a 96 ERA+, a 3.72 FIP, a 1.188 WHIP, and a 4.44 SO/W. And you expect us to take you at your word that no team would pay Samardzija his going rate except the Giants?
samardzija is nor better than leake this season. No one bid 90 mill for shark. The giants made that rate themselves
You’re cherry-picking this season, where his numbers are down, when the fair way is to compare is to look at what they’ve done over the length of their contracts. The larger sample is always more illuminating.
Leake does have a very slightly better ERA, a negligible 4.08 to 4.21, and 5 points better in ERA+. But Samardzija has given the Giants 36 more innings, has struck out 100 more batters while walking only 9 more (less per IP). Samardzija has a better FIP, and WHIP.
Leake’s contract is $68mm assuming they buy out. I think most teams would think the more innings and strikeouts would be worth what amounts to an extra $2.8mm difference per season.
The Giants have a great defense? Not in the outfield. Samardzija is a flyball pitcher.
You tell me what to look beyond , The Guy Plays in a pitchers Park and still Skinks.
He’s had an fWAR above 2 for the last 5 years and is at 2.3 this year. He’s been a pretty average starter for a while now.
This season …
Top 20 in the Majors in WHIP, FIP, and K/9. Top 10 in the Majors in IP, BB/9, K/BB, and xFIP.
He has more value and has been much better than what his ERA alone reveals.
But he doesn’t help his team win. Period.
stymeedone: A black and white analysis doesn’t work very well in a game as nuanced as baseball.
His ERA is pretty acurate. He pitches really well for a while and then gets hammered for an inning or two because he serves up meatballs in 3 ball counts to avoid walking guys. I’m a Giants fan too. It’s hard to argue that the guy is good at preventing runs over a full outing, which is kind of his whole job.
If you dig a little deeper, his stats show that he deserves a better record than he has right now.
Record is the worst stat for a pitcher. It means nothing.
No, his team doesn’t help him win! Especially that garbage bullpen!
Do not mention the “pitchers ballpark” unless you can provide the splits.
This guys been hammered in colorado, arizona, St. Louis for example the disparity may be telling.
Pfff, get your empirical data and logic out of our way, we’re trying to have an internet fight fueled by the passions of a longstanding
intra-division rivalry here.
Stymeedone: no one is helping the Giants win right now.
If you’re going to call someone “over payed (sic)” why not provide a comparable pitcher on a FA contract making less that’s more valuable. I seriously doubt you can find one.
Who would even want SamJ?
Shark reminds me of a young Jeff Weaver, when he still had the great arm. He’d just wow you with his talent, and still lose 4-3 because invariably, there would be the walk, the single, and the one bad pitch. If you trade for him, you might catch lightening in a bottle, but after ten years in MLB, you also might find out that those “surface numbers” might be the real Shark.
Samardzija’s optimal element is on a team that scores a lot of runs (HOU). He could be a perennial 20-game winner there. Get me 6 runs, I’ll give up 3 or 4, and the pen just needs to do a pedestrian job. Voila! Can’t do that in SF. Just ask MadBum about run support.
Sure, its crazy Preller is asking for top prospects for Hand, but you got to start the negotiations somewhere. The likely result will be a couple mid tiered prospects or he will hold onto Hand. Considering he has 2 1/2 years of control left, holding onto him isn’t a bad thing. His trade value will probably never be higher, though.
Strickland is from my hometown in GA so I’d love to see him come to the braves
Reports that JDM just traded to ARZ for 3 minor league infielders headlined by Lugo
Article is already posted on here. 30 mins ago
I’d have to imagine the Giants will want a similar return for Strickland as the Padres are asking for Hand. Although not left-handed, Strickland has been stellar and doesn’t even reach arbitration until this winter. At least one elite prospect should be demanded.
I think Strickland commands a better return than Hand. With Strickland’s stuff he could eventually close games. I don’t think Hand has that stuff.
I agree. But I think the lack of strong LH relievers helps Hand’s return.
That’s true, Admittedly I didn’t consider that. Preller’s outlandish ask may steer teams to the Giants, but then again, if I’m Evans I ask for the same.
I’m guessing if the Mariners trade got anyone it will be either Verlander or Teheran.
I’ll give you Addison Russell for Jeff Samardzija…said no one ever. Oh wait….
Russell is one of the most overrated players in baseball. Strikes out too much, walks too few times, an OBP barely over .300. It’s absurd he started the ASG in 2016. He was the 4th best SS in the NL last season. The problem with fan voting.
Defense counts, too, right? And power?
Absolutely defense counts; and power, That still puts him behind Seager. and Crawford.
You spelled underrated wrong. Russell was a steal for Theo. Russell is one of the best SS in baseball. He started the all star game because he earned it. He was actually 2nd behind Brandon Crawford. If it wasn’t for his off year he’d be winning a gold glove.
Freddy Galvin should have won a gold glove. “If it wasn’t for his off year…” Soooo, what you’re saying is if he wasn’t bad he’d be good? Wow. Very enlightening.
Lmfao Addison Russell underrated bwahhahah “he started the all star game because he earned it” oh lord cubs fans are so oblivious.
He’s overrated by Cubs fans (like most everyone wearing a Cub jersey at any particular moment in time) but probably pretty accurately rated by everyone else.
Shark takes the ball every 5th day n runs the prettiest post-corner-fade in MLB….
Gerrit Cole for Julio Teheran.
Ehh why would either team do that? I’d rather have Cole anyway.
Braves make perfect sense. They want a TOR arm AND are trying to trade Teheran.
For the Pirates, Terehan has an extra year and isn’t a Boras guy, so they could maybe keep him.
Gerrit Cole and a PTBNL for Julio Teheran and a PTBNL. The players to be named later are Julio Teheran and Gerrit Cole.
No matter what someone thinks of Shark, the Giants are losing Cueto, Cain is finally coming off the books (after the buyout), and Beede isn’t ready. That leaves a rotation of Bumgarner, Moore, Blach and no one else. They need him and in order to move him it would have to be a good package.
Are they banned from acquiring players via free agency?
Don’t forget that Sabean said he’d like to see Cueto back next year. Giants will be in on the bidding.
Hunter Strickland and Samardzija for Adam Eaton and whoever is left in a otherwise depleted farm
Haha
Gives the Nats more bullpen help they replace Joe Ross with Samardzija. Then next winter they flip shark for prospects
What…..?
This is a joke right? Nats would hang up the phone with that ask.
Should Preller not be aiming high in trade talks? Isn’t that how it works, start high and then find a common ground? Can you imagine what would have been said on here last year if anyone would have suggested Pomernaz for Espinoza or Cashner for Naylor and Paddack? They would have been shredded, but those deals happened. There is no risk in asking. And yes I know Guerroro and Capps were involved in the Miami deal.
Paddack wasn’t in the Cashner deal, he was in the Fernando Rodney trade.
Sorrry, not sure how I forgot that, but even that deal seemed like a deal that was very one sided in the Padres favor until the dreaded TJS.
Hand to the Dodgers for Verdugo 1-1 swap
Sounds great but as a Padre fan that’s not going to happen unfortunately. Maybe Gavin Lux and Sborz or Oaks is more realistic.
I’m sure if that was a possibililty, it would have been done already.
What’s up G M’s
Fun fact: Teheran’s per season averages are virtually identical to Sonny Gray’s