The Giants are suddenly drawing some interest in lefty Drew Pomeranz, tweets Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The 30-year-old southpaw lost his rotation spot a couple weeks back and has been sharp since moving to the ’pen — albeit in a tiny sample of three appearances. Pomeranz has tossed 4 1/3 shutout frames with six strikeouts, one hit allowed and one walk.
It’s obviously unlikely that he’d command a significant return after logging a 6.10 ERA, 5.58 FIP and 4.67 xFIP in 72 1/3 innings as a starter. But Pomeranz has had considerable success as a reliever in the past. He spent the bulk of the 2014-15 seasons in the Oakland bullpen and posted a 3.08 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 3.3 BB/9 and 0.9 HR/9. In his career, he’s turned in a 2.86 ERA in 91 2/3 innings of relief, notching a 96-to-34 K/BB ratio and allowing just a .213/.292/.317 batting line in that time.
The situation for Pomeranz isn’t entirely different from that of just-traded former teammate Derek Holland. Pomeranz has also fared much better against left-handed hitters this year, holding them to a cumulative .250/.309/.398 batting line with 11.1 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9. Pomeranz also wouldn’t cost much, as he’s playing on a $2MM base salary in 2019. Both pitchers hold appeal as possible left-on-left matchup men who’d also represent swingman depth given their long histories as starters.
For the Giants, moving Pomeranz wouldn’t necessarily have to occur as part of a broader sell-off. If the club decides to hang onto its best relief assets, it’d continue to feature two quality southpaws in closer Will Smith and setup man Tony Watson. At the same time, if the club does forego significant sell-side moves, it probably doesn’t make much sense to part with Pomeranz if he’s seen as one of the club’s best seven relievers. The return isn’t likely to be substantial. But if he just isn’t a part of the San Francisco plans, perhaps there’s a shot of gaining some salary relief.
Pomeranz looked real good out of the pen, FB was up to 96 and CB had a lot of bite too it. I think he be best suited as a reliever..
I could see the Twins going for him.
They like low cost and need another lefty in the pen besides Rogers.
I’m not saying that the Twins SHOULD, however, but it seems like a Twins’ move. And he might work out just fine.
I feel like if a deal gets done, it’s going to be Cashman sending scraps to SF and calling it a great deal to improve the rotation instead of offering Frazier and maybe a lower prospect for Bumgarner and moving on if Zaidi says no.
Let the Giants hold the only real trade chip they have and we’ll sign him for nothing more than money in 3 months.
“Let the Giants hold the only real trade chip they have and we’ll sign him for nothing more than money in 3 months.”
You mean like the way Yankee fans had NY signing Machado, Harper, Keuchel, and just about every soon-to-be FA in the past?
It’s not a done deal that Bumgarner re-signs with the Giants, but those examples aren’t equivalent in any way. This is a guy who’s not looking for the biggest contract, and likes pitching in the only organization he’s ever been part of. You can’t compare.
I think there is zero chance Bumgarner stays in SF with the direction they’re going. The farm system has no talent coming to seriously compete with the Dodgers, who will easily own the division for the next 5 years barring a Syndergaard acquisition by SD and then maybe the Padres challenge for the West before he hits the market depending on Gore’s timeline.
That said, if he wants to win his options are pretty much limited to Boston, the Dodgers, Cubs, Atlanta and maybe the Phillies or Milwaukee depending on whether he wants to pitch in a big market or a team that maybe doesnt get as much national media attention.
Signing with the Dodgers, especially if they get back to the WS again, would be seen as a sellout move and effectively make him a pariah around the league much like Kevin Durant after joining GSW. The Yankees offer a real chane to play meaningful baseball and obviously can offer the most money, whether that’s a factor remains to be seen, but I think MadBum leaves SF regardless.
The Giants have enough salary room to afford Bumgarner. He really doesn’t want to leave. The Giants farm system is just fine. In one ranking, it went from 29 to 15 in one offseason.
No talent in the system … except 4 Top 100 prospects
Yah you may be right about everything but MLB fans are going to have to take up a collection or a go fund me page to buy Anti Climax Meds from For Hims for the Dodgers because you all just cannot climax when it’s needed the most. Your team is nothing more than a bunch of early finishers cause you cannot close the deal. La La Land Losers!
Giants might be in better shape than the Dads. Granted, they have no Gore-level pitching prospects, but that can be solved short0term by resigning MadBum. The Giants top four hitting prospects are better than anything the Dads have down on the farm on the offensive side. In today’s offensive environment, I’d much rather be the team that has starting pitching and needs a little extra hitting (SF) than the team that doesn’t have starting pitching and needs a little extra hitting (SD).
What the hell are you talking about? I hope to God their are no Daddies in the Giants farm system. That would be devastating. Who the hell is Gore? Why do they need a nobody named Gore?
ARFTJ,
Stick with your Yankee echo chamber. Your response makes no sense. The Giants farm system is actually pretty decent (but since you just want to parrot old talking points you wouldn’t know that they were just updated to No. 15).
And who cares if LAD owns the division? Only teams that can’t win WS obsess over how many division pennants they have. That’s not the goal.
Bumgarner won’t go to LA, and won’t go to NY. He’s publicly stated that he’s not in it for the money. He wants to compete and be in an organization he believes in. That’s not going to be LAD or NYY.
Worked out so well with patrick corbin to the yankees last off season. Nailed that signing.
Also. Bumgardner will come with a QO. The giants will get something for bumgardner.
He resigns and eventually retires a Giant.
Trading him would be a disaster for the Giants. The guys a leader in the clubhouse. It would be devastating for long term plans.
Losing out on Corbin doesn’t bother me all that much, he’s pitching to an ERA that is higher through 21 starts in his first season in Washington than he had over 33 starts last year in Arizona. I don’t claim to understand advanced metrics at all, but adjust his current ERA for our bandbox in The Bronx, pitching to AL hitters including the Red Sox lineup that just destroyed us, and that ERA is probably north of 4.
Not exactly an upgrade over anything we have currently, and there’s zero chance our training staff would have been able to keep him healthy anyway judging by the rash of injuries we’ve had to endure.
“We’ll sign him”, this is Cashman’s mlbtr burner account I guess.
Why would the Giants want Frazier? A suspect defensive player doesn’t fit in a big outfield.
Losing out on Stroman got your lily whites un a bunch, eh ?
You should probably start preparing yourself now for the fact the Bumgarner will never be a Yankee.
“Bumgarner will never be a Yankee”. That’s a relief. There are better options for the Yankees.
Dont tell that to AllRiseForTheJudge. Between that and Stroman, you might push him right over the edge.
But thanks for the classic Yankees response though …
“Oh, WE gotta get him. He’s exactly what WE need.”
Player goes elsewhere.
“WE dont need him, he’s crap.”
lol, no there arent
Why would the Giants want Frazier? If his defense is lacking in NY, he would be lost in in SF.
Bumgarner’s not getting traded, boss. Check the standings.
And the play will be to offer MadBum a QO (which he can affect for a cool 50% raise over his highest-earning season), and if he rejects it, offer him Kershaw or Corbin money, and if he rejects that, then take the comp pick in the 40s in next year’s draft.
You act like the Giants don’t print money they can use to resign their franchise icon or that they are scared he will leave and only bring back a Top 50 pick in the draft.
i dont see anything more then the minimal possible return as far as prospect value goes. Pomz hasnt proven he can be a good BP asset yet, so im sure most contenders would be a bit skeptical.
Then they might as well hold on to him. Salary relief isn’t high on SF’s list of needs.
Nah. He’s gone after this year and easily replaceable. Gotta go.
If there’s interest, that means he’s being shopped
At this point, the Giants trade partners are Atlanta and AL teams. He’s probably going back to Boston or Oakland considering his salary.
Getting rid of him gives them an opportunity to get younger guys in. Who have options. Zaidi likes to move players up and down. That being said, I don’t know anything about Pomeranz service time or contract terms as it relates to minor league options and I don’t care enough to check on it. I’m all for dumping him for cash considerations and calling up another lefty from AAA
His salary is small enough that giants should get a player for him
And exactly. His role (long reliever/mop up duty) is the most easily replaceable of all the bullpen roles. He can be traded quick and easy without affecting any of the high-leverage roles. It’s a no brainer.
Caveat Emptor. He is a garbage player. Ok enough if you have no aspirations of competing and just need filler, but he can’t be trusted.
I feel like the Rays could work him into the opener rotation after starting him in the pen. Can’t be worse than relievers that give up 7 run leads in one inning.
Not true. I believe the giants put up 7 in the top half of the first inning in a game against the O’s earlier this season. Promeraz started and promptly gave up 8 in the first inning I believe it was. Hes been better out of the bullpen but, I’m shocked they kept him over Vincent (who wasn’t great either)
Having a bad start is one thing, but our bullpen has been really great at giving up large leads lately. Multiple games over the last few weeks where we had a solid lead and then our “relievers” or “closers” come in and they’re giving up hits and homers left and right. I know everyone has off days, things happen, but theoretically as a member of the bullpen, your job is literally to throw 3-30 pitches that shouldn’t be hit. It’s literally what you’re paid millions of dollars to do. I’m not saying it’s not hard, i know I couldn’t do it, but I haven’t trained my whole life for it. Maybe I’m crazy, but I don’t understand why a member of ANY mlb bullpen should have an ERA over 3 for more than a month. Like I said, I understand that bad games happen, but if you’re consistently giving up MULTIPLE runs you shouldn’t be in a relief position.
Would the return even be worth it?
Maybe a fit in Boston.
Lol!!!!!!!
Think you gotta fight his other former employer in Oakland
My bank account is drawing some interest. My palm rants for the money.
Could you imagine if the Mets got him!!!??!
Interesting direction MLB is going when you see a team looking to trade for this guy. .250/.309/.398 doesn’t sound like loogy material to me..unless your Detroit.
If Smith and Vazquez are off the trade block, teams are left to settle for Pomeranz or Elias or risk going into the playoffs with the crap lefties they got. Rock and a hard place.
move him for a lottery ticket or a comp pick – cueto is rehabbing and some things are going to have to move around so better to make some space in the pen than to ent up having to lose a guy that could have gotten you something or send down someone in favor of someone that doesn’t have options or needs to be returned
To get a comp pick, they have to offer him a qualifying offer (1-year/18M). He’d certainly accept that and be overpaid by 9 times what he’s worth, so the comp pick is not viable option for Drew Pomeranian. He has to be traded for the best possible return now or leave for nothing in the offseason.
The most recent example of the market is the Cubs were too scared to let Holland go through waivers that they gave SF cash money for him (and Holland was making $8M this year compared to Drew’s $2M).
All adds up to him being gone by Wednesday in my book. I’d say to Boston or Oakland for a AA player like Vargas or maybe an A baller if the Giants get lucky.
No. He’ssaying trade him for a comp pick from another team, which is the only type of pick that’s tradable. He’s nowhere near worth that so it’s still very very dumb but not for the reasons you’re suggesting. Not sure when the last trade involving one of those was. I think the Lester/Cespedes swap had one involved. Maybe the Goldschmidt trade too? Can’t remember off the top of my head.