Farhan Zaidi on Giants’ trade deadline approach: ‘The equation has changed’
"We have some things that we would like to add. We do have to be at least mindful of the future and the position that we're in."
With a remarkable run to start the month and a stunning surge in the National League Wild Card standings, the Giants’ strategy ahead of the July 31 trade deadline was destined to evolve.
President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi confirmed that it already has on Thursday.
“The equation has changed with how we’ve played over the last few weeks,” Zaidi said during an interview on KNBR 680.
In a wide-ranging interview that lasted more than 20 minutes, Zaidi said the Giants have not committed to buying, selling or simply standing pat ahead of Wednesday’s deadline. Instead, the first-year executive said he’ll continue to evaluate a variety of potential paths in an effort to maximize the Giants’ short-term and long-term success.
“I’ve said since my first day on the job here, where we are as an organization, we have to be open to anything,” Zaidi told KNBR.
Zaidi indicated much of the Giants’ approach to the final hours leading up to the trade deadline could depend on how the team performs in a critical three-game series against the San Diego Padres this weekend. The Giants opened the month at Petco Park and swept the Padres in convincing fashion, taking all three games they played as a resurgent lineup set the tone for its best month of the year by scoring 30 runs.
If the Giants showcase more dominance over a division foe, it’s not out of the question that a team once thought to be among baseball’s biggest “sellers” could wind up “buying” an asset or two.
“We have some things that we would like to add,” Zaidi said. “We do have to be at least mindful of the future and the position that we’re in. It’s been a steadier process and I imagine we’ll get a lot of traffic here in the next few days.”
The most significant question regarding the Giants’ trade deadline activity is whether the club will part with Madison Bumgarner.
Regardless of who the team might receive in return, trading a franchise pillar and a player many consider the face of the 2019 Giants would upset clubhouse chemistry and anger season-ticket holders and fans. Zaidi is unwilling to consider Bumgarner or any other Giants player “off limits,” but he understands the ramifications that would come with dealing the sturdy left-hander in the middle of a playoff race.
“I certainly have had fans in the streets of our lovely city tell me that they would rather trade me instead of our franchise pitcher,” Zaidi said. “So I think there’s something to that position.”
The Giants’ greatest need, according to Zaidi, is in their rotation where the team has used rookies to start in three of the last five games. A month ago, it was clear the Giants would be willing to trade Bumgarner, a free agent-to-be, to clear space for young pitchers to audition for future roles, but that thought process has shifted.
The Giants have pulled within 3.5 games of an NL Wild Card position and are now determining ways to best position the team to remain in postseason contention. Even if the Giants’ recent success is unsustainable, Zaidi feels the team has found a winning formula with an elite bullpen and a more productive lineup that can make them a factor in the playoff race for the rest of the year.
“I don’t think we’re going to win 17 out of every 21 games the rest of the year, but I feel strongly that we can post a winning record,” Zaidi said. “The question is, is that going to be enough when you’ve got seven teams competing for two wild card spots?”