Outside of Logan Webb and Alex Cobb, the San Francisco Giants' starting pitching staff hasn't performed as expected this season. So should they trade for an ace for the stretch run and potentially a playoff run? The first factor to consider is that there aren't really any true aces available at this deadline. Cases could be made for Marcus Stroman, Eduardo Rodriguez, or Lucas Giolito, to name a few, but there's no Carlos Rodón, for example. If Shohei Ohtani becomes available then that changes everything, but otherwise we're looking at more No. 2-5 starters on the board. But yes, the SF Giants should probably target starting pitching.

What about middle infield? With Thairo Estrada out 4-6 weeks, should the Giants make a move well before the deadline? Tim Anderson is one possibility, although his numbers are way, way down this season, both offensively and defensively. Anderson has a strong reputation in the game, but the dropoff is concerning. Meanwhile, it's probably worth letting Casey Schmitt play a lot of second base just so the Giants really know what they have. He has a lot of potentially and shouldn't be given up on so quickly. The SF Giants should take advantage of Estrada's absence by letting Schmitt play a lot in July.

How all-in should the SF Giants be this season? Which prospects are off the table? The Giants have several intriguing young players in the majors right now in Patrick Bailey, Luis Matos, and Schmitt. Those players are probably off the table this deadline, along with Kyle Harrison, Marco Luciano, and perhaps some others. But none of those players would be in play for the types of names that are available anyway. So the Giants should be aggressive in improving their team and it wouldn't cost their top guys. One name to keep in mind if the Giants decide to target an outfielder is Cody Bellinger, who makes a lot of sense for this team.

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

#SFGiants #FirstListen

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