MLB insider lists SF Giants as potential landing spot for two outfielders

MLB insider Mark Feinsand listed the SF Giants as the top potential trade fit for Mets outfielder Tommy Pham and Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger.

Marc Delucchi | Jul 16, 2023

MLB insider lists SF Giants as potential landing spot for two outfielders /

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The SF Giants are in a position to be aggressive buyers at this year's MLB trade deadline. MLB Network's league insider Mark Feinsand detailed 10 potential trade candidates who have recently improved their stock. He listed the Giants as the top potential fit for both New York Mets outfielder Tommy Pham and Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger.

New York Mets left fielder Tommy Pham reacts to hitting a double against the SF Giants during the eighth inning at Citi Field. (2023) — Mets outfielder Tommy Pham celebrates a double against the SF Giants. (2023) / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Bellinger signed a one-year, $17.5 million contract with the Cubs this past offseason and has had his most productive campaign since he won the National League MVP in 2019. Bellinger has hit .302/.357/.518 with 13 doubles and 11 home runs in 59 games alongside elite defense in center field. With the Cubs well out of postseason contention and Bellinger likely slated for free agency, a trade seems likely.

It's worth noting that the Giants were reportedly "in pursuit" of Bellinger at one point last offseason before he signed with the Cubs and obviously has a lot of history with San Francisco's top decision-makers. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and manager Gabe Kapler both worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers when Bellinger was a young star with the team.

With all that said, more advanced numbers are skeptical of Bellinger's resurgent season. While he has cut his strikeout rate significantly compared to his ugly past two seasons, he is also hitting the ball hard at the lowest rate of his career, which suggests he may have benefited from a lot of unsustainable good luck in the first half.

Pham signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Mets last offseason and is similarly enjoying his most impressive season since 2019. Pham is hitting .271/.345/.476 with 14 doubles and nine home runs in 70 games. Defensively, though, Pham has almost been entirely limited to left field.

Despite Feinsand's suggestion, neither Pham nor Bellinger seem like good fits for San Francisco. The Giants' outfield is already crowded with Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Conforto, Austin Slater, and top prospect Luis Matos all in the fold alongside rookie Blake Sabol. Moreover, corner outfielder Mitch Haniger has a chance to return from the injured list in September. It's unclear if Pham or Bellinger are noteworthy upgrades over any of those players.

Moreover, adding Pham to San Francisco's clubhouse seems like a particularly dicey proposition given his history with SF Giants designated hitter Joc Pederson. Pham notoriously slapped Pederson in the face prior to a game last season over a dispute involving a fantasy football league.

Published Jul 16, 2023

MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).