One analyst suggests a blockbuster solution to the San Francisco Giants' pitching woes.
Few teams have struggled more on the mound lately than the San Francisco Giants. Injuries have ravaged the rotation and the options currently available to them are, lightly put, subpar.
Even so, the Giants are 46-36 — only 2.5 games back of first-place Arizona in the imminently winnable NL West. San Francisco continues to dominate at the plate and even the slightest improvement to their pitching staff could yield major results in the standings.
Well, ESPN's David Schoenfield has one quick fix in mind. He proposes a deal involving Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Guardians, who has been a mainstay in the rumor mill all season due to his team-friendly contract situation and the Guardians' collective struggles.
Could the San Francisco Giants strike a trade for Guardians' Shane Bieber?
Bieber is under contract for one more season before hitting free agency in 2025. The Giants are currently scraping together a pitching rotation from the trash heap, so Bieber would immediately take on a significant role in the rotation — especially with Alex Cobb heading to the IL.
For the Guardians, the logic behind a Bieber trade could go either direction. Cleveland is three games below .500 with no clear path to winning the World Series. Why not trade Bieber while it's still on the table? He could leave for nothing in a year.
On the flip side, the Guardians are only one game back of the Twins for first place in the sucky AL Central. Bieber can still win games, despite a recent slide in his statistical profile. His 3.48 ERA is respectable (but also the worst mark since his rookie season) and he's leading the MLB in games started and innings pitched. He's still a workhorse by modern MLB standards, which should not be undervalued.
That's exactly why the Giants would want Bieber, of course. A pitcher who actually pitches and who pitches well — that has been a rare sight for Gabe Kapler and company lately.
Bieber is 5-5 on the season, averaging the lowest strikeout rate of his career (7.2 K's/9). He's still effective, but nowhere close to the Cy Young winner who averaged 14.2 K's/9 three years ago. He would bolster the Giants' staff for sure, but San Francisco would be unwise to mortgage a significant chunk of their future to acquire Bieber considering the uncertainty tied to his contract.
As for Cleveland, dealing Bieber feels like an inevitability at this point. There's merit to keeping him and angling for the divisional crown — all you need is a puncher's chance in the MLB playoffs, anything can happen — but maintaining the longest view in the room is an essential trait for good front offices. Is Bieber really part of the Guardians' long-term plans?