12:53pm: The Yankees are “considering” Giles, Jon Heyman of the MLB Network tweets. New York lined up on a deadline deal with division-rival Toronto last season when acquiring J.A. Happ.
12:20pm: Blue Jays righty Ken Giles may not be at full health, but he’s still “in play” in trade talks, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). That seemed increasingly unlikely when it emerged yesterday that the closer had undergone a cortisone shot to treat an elbow issue.
The 28-year-old Giles was clearly among the game’s best trade candidates before his recent elbow woes arose. He’s earning a reasonable $6.3MM this year with another arbitration season left to go. Long known for his talent, Giles also had returned to producing exceptional on-field results to begin the 2019 campaign.
When he came to Toronto, Giles was a bounceback asset. He has done exactly that. In his 35 innings this season, he owns a 1.54 ERA with a hefty 14.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9. Unlike many pitchers, Giles has successfully limited the long ball, allowing just a pair.
Teams considering an investment of this type want as much certainty as possible. In that regard, the elbow issues are worrying, even if they’ve been deemed non-structural.
That said, the upside is tremendous. Giles carries a monster 20.3% swinging-strike rate this year. He’s averaging 96.9 mph on his fastball, which is down from his peak but still strong. And Statcast thinks he has been a bit unlucky on batted-ball fortune, crediting him with an exceptional .232 xwOBA that’s quite a bit lower than his still-excellent .253 wOBA.
Let’s go Klentak. Make it happen and bring Giles home. He’ll never be cheaper!
If the Blue Jays only have “cheap” offers, they’ll probably just hold onto him and trade him in the offseason.
like they did with Stroman?
I didn’t say “cheap”. I said he would “never be cheaper” as in the cortisone shots have diminished his value. The Jays are not going to get what they initially wanted if they trade him now.
I could see him getting traded to the Nationals or Braves.
One team will get Giles, the other will get Shane Green. Watch, the winner of today’s game will lose the bit for Greene and take Giles as a plan B. Called it first
No one will take Giles
I thought the same. Moving Neris and Robertson to set up when he’s back should work out well.
Start making big win mode trades already geeze. The suspense is killing many of us.
Someone remind teams theres no august waiver trades this year.
Might as well sign Giles and put him on the shelf with Garrett Richards for next year.
Ken Giles is “in-play”.
Translation: Blue Jays will not get a return close to what they expect for a guy having a huge season because he’s taking cortisone shots for a sore elbow. It’s too bad. Aside from games against the Red Sox Ken Giles has been unhittable.
Braves or Twins for cheap probably…
Cubs should grab him so Brandon “Maybe to”Morrow has someone to hang out w on the bench.
<3
Ugh Atkins gonna sell him for a 35 year old AA catcher
Has he finally quit punching himself in the face?
what is exactly is wrong with his elbow?
I know article says he got a cortisone shot but why?
All I have seen is just inflammation but MRI’s have been negative. No structural damage. It’s anyone’s guess to the severity of Giles inflammation.
The same thing was said of Victor Arano, but look where he is.
Yup, what are the chances that a team would mislead you on the health of a player. I get the feeling that this boat is sailing, and that TO got just a little bit less for Stroman than the Cleveland haul for Bauer.
Another less than stellar trading year for TO.
Giles for Happ straight up.
Why don’t the Jays Management add some if the cash they are saving in salaries with all these trades to get a better return for a Giles if they are not planning to retain him? Rogers is one of the, if not wealthiest owners in sports today. Why not add some resources (savings) to better and speed up their rebuild? C’mon Ed!
With the way this trade deadline has been going, it’s that type of creativity sellers should be using.
Looks like they are not that creative sadly. Time will only Tell , etc of course but overall it seems like more of the same lack luster deadline moves as seen in the past with Atkins and Shapiro for the Jays parting ways with so many assets.
This would be a great PR move for Atlanta with the fans. Get Giles as cheap as possible and if he can’t pitch AA can say they tried. If Giles comes back well then AA is the genius people say he is.
A no lose move !!!
Yankees dont need this guy