MLB Trade Grades: How experts rated the Giants’ Cobb and Canha deals Originally appeared in NBC Bay Area Sports
The Giants made a handful of moves at the MLB trade deadline, but none of them were exactly earth-shattering transactions.
San Francisco Treatment of designated hitter Jorge Soler and relief pitcher Luke Jackson to the Atlanta Braves on Monday night was perhaps the biggest move president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and company made this week.
The Giants managed to make some moves before Tuesday’s 3 p.m. PT deadline, including trading away veteran starting pitcher. Alex Cobb to the Cleveland Guardiansrelief pitcher Mike Baumann to the Los Angeles Angels and Acquisition of outfielder Mark Canha in a trade with the Detroit Tigers.
Neither move was significant by any means, but it helped the Giants free up salary cap space. Opening opportunities for young players and reinforce the bench with veteran depth.
Here’s how MLB experts rated San Francisco’s moves at the deadline:
“The Giants reduced their future financial exposure by trading for Jorge Soler and Alex Cobb, but they didn’t do much to improve their playoff chances this year beyond bringing in left-handed reliever Tyler Matzek and right-handed hitter Mark Canha, who has power and can draw walks off the bench,” Jim Bowden wrote.
“They listened to Blake Snell, but that’s all they did. Now they have to hope that Snell and Robbie Ray can play like the Cy Young Award winners they were in the past and, along with the rest of the team, try to make the postseason. I wonder if this offense is good enough to get them there.”
Grade for all Giants deadline trades: D
Canha Trade:
“Canha is having a rough year by his standards, posting a sub-.700 OPS for the first time since he was a 28-year-old for the A’s in 2017,” Zachary Rymer wrote. “However, he can still give lefties a tough time. While he has a .639 OPS against righties, he has exploited the platoon advantage for an .857 OPS against lefties.
“Most teams wouldn’t have much use for a right-handed hitter, but the Giants can use Canha in conjunction with left-handed hitters at first base and both outfield corners. Even if it’s just a little bit, he can help the team make a playoff push.”
Giants grade: B
Rating for the Tigers: C
Cobb Trade:
“Assuming they’re not eating any of that, the Giants are getting rid of the $3.3 million left on Cobb’s $10 million salary,” Rymer added. “It’s not as much as their Jorge Soler savings, but it’s something. The fact that the Giants are also getting a prospect back is a nice bonus, even if said prospect is just a projected 19-year-old lefty who just made his Class A debut. He’s not much more than a lottery ticket.
“My complaint about this trade is more philosophical. After the Soler trade, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle hinted that the Giants wouldn’t make any more cuts. But then they did this, dealing another self-inflicted blow to their playoff hopes.”
Rating for giants: C
Rating for tutors: TO
“The Guardians are acquiring Alex Cobb at an incredibly low price while improving what turned out to be a mediocre rotation,” Zachary Rotman wrote. “Cobb missed the entire season with shoulder and hip injuries, but is close to returning. In fact, he was ready to return, but he missed his last scheduled start due to a blister. It won’t be long before he’s pitching for Cleveland.
“Unless the player named later is a bigger name, it’s hard to see the Giants as winners at this point, especially if they don’t follow through and trade Snell. The Giants didn’t have much leverage considering the fact that Cobb is set to hit free agency at the end of the year and hasn’t pitched at all this season, but with how much of a seller’s market this market has become, Cleveland did pretty well here to add a starter with Cobb’s track record without giving up too much.”
Giants’ grade: C
Grade for tutors: B+
“It wasn’t so much about players returning to the Giants as it was about them getting out of Soler’s contract, as they had some regrets about buying him out despite his 116 OPS+ bat. They also wanted to make room for Marco Luciano,” Andrew Mearns wrote. “They might also regret not trading Blake Snell and Matt Chapman, who could opt out. While they’re not in great shape for the Wild Card, they’re seemingly hanging in there.
“How many years of leeway did Farhan Zaidi give him as the Giants’ president of baseball operations in 2021? If they don’t make the playoffs again, we could start to see him sweat. Oh, and Mark Canha is now here because… Bob Melvin still really likes him? That sounds about right. Or maybe Patrick Dubuque of Baseball Prospectus is right.”
Grade for all Giants deadline trades: D