The San Francisco Giants finally got back on track on Wednesday night, taking down the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-3. It was a team effort, and most importantly, an impressive showing from left-hander Robbie Ray, who made his season debut.
Ray threw 5.0 innings, giving up one earned run despite allowing zero hits. He issued two walks and struck out eight batters. Perhaps that showing on the mound could sway the Giants’ front office to be buyers at the deadline, as he showed he still has a ton left in him after coming back from Tommy John surgery.
One outing doesn’t change everything, but if Ray pitches how he did and Blake Snell continues to throw the baseball at the level he has, it could change a lot for San Francisco.
While there are other holes on the roster, this was a good sign moving forward.
Speaking of those holes, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com urged the Giants to address them at the deadline. He listed what each team needs to do to improve, writing that San Francisco needs to find an answer in the middle of their infield.
“The middle infield has been an issue for the Giants, who have an underperforming Thairo Estrada at second base and the combination of Brett Wisely and Tyler Fitzgerald at shortstop. San Francisco’s .618 OPS at second base is tied for last in the NL, making that spot more of an urgent need.”
Brett Wisely has actually had a decent year, especially considering he just played his 100th MLB game on Tuesday night. This season, he’s slashing .267/.299/.394 with three home runs and 18 doubles in 165 at-bats. His power numbers could improve, but for a 25-year-old middle infielder, there’s some hope he could be a long-term option for this ball club.
In terms of players who could be available, there are expected to be multiple players who could fill that hole.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. has played the middle infield in his career, but it’s uncertain if they would want to give up the resources it would take to land him in a trade. He likely will be moved to a contending team, as those front offices would be willing to move more pieces to land him given their situation.
Even if the Giants don’t plan on buying much, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to address their need up the middle.
It’s either they do it now or in the offseason, so why not get ahead of the curve and find someone now so they can become familiar with the organization?
There’s no real downside in doing so.
