The San Francisco Giants are — most unexpectedly — one of the best teams in Major League Baseball this season, and the success of the team has the front office thinking big.
And why not? The Giants have money to burn, and the July 30 trade deadline is fast approaching. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi reduced San Francisco’s salary spending prior to this season, expecting a campaign focused on rebuilding. As a result, he’s in prime position go to shopping.
He told the San Francisco Chronicle that the Giants’ ownership group is willing to add salary via a star player if the opportunity to improve the club arises. Furthermore, Zaidi made sure to say that short-term acquisitions –as in players on expiring contracts — are also on the table.
“You’re always going to like having future club control over any player that you trade for — but if the right rental starter is out there, and we feel like the deal makes sense, I don’t think that’s going to stop us from pushing the button,” Zaidi said.
San Francisco Chronicle
The Chronicle’s Susan Slusser said that while it’s difficult to project which players Zaidi and the Giants could target, Rangers starting pitcher Kyle Gibson is a name to watch. As a bonus, Gibson is signed through next season.
But Zaidi’s willingness to acquire a player on an expiring contract is perhaps the clearest signal yet that the Giants are chasing yet another World Series title this season, preseason expectations be damned. Expect Zaidi to remain smart about it, but be ready for the Giants to swing for the fences as we approach July 30.
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