SF Giants veteran thought team needed to make trade deadline addition

The SF Giants front office's relative inaction at the trade deadline made at least one player feel like the organization did not have confidence in the team to contend.

On the day of the 2023 trade deadline, the SF Giants were 58-49, the third-best record in the National League. But since August 1, when the front office let the deadline pass uneventfully, the team has gone 18-30, the second-worst mark in the league. One veteran didn't think that was a coincidence. According to a Susan Slusser autopsy on the Giants' late-season collapse for the San Francisco Chronicle, at least one player thought the team's unwillingness to trade for help meant the organization didn't believe in the team.

"One veteran said his biggest concern was the front office’s inaction at the deadline," wrote Slusser. "Even if there weren’t any major deals San Francisco could have pulled off without sacrificing a top prospect, the optics provided the same impression some of the player usage has: that the team doesn’t believe in this current bunch. 'If they thought we were a playoff team, they needed to go get us some help,' the veteran said."

Team president Farhan Zaidi made only one deal for a major-league player, trading with the Mariners for 35-year-old A.J. Pollock, who had a slash line of .173/.225/.323 with Seattle. For a team with some obvious holes - middle infielders, outfield defense, starting pitchers who weren't actually relievers - it left the impression that the front office didn't care.

Unsurprisingly, Pollock was not a difference-maker. He went hitless in six at-bats before straining his oblique, going on the injured list, and getting released.

For a Giants team that had been battling through injuries to their entire projected starting outfield, half their rotation, and their second baseman, it may have felt like they'd dragged themselves to the trade deadline, only to find there were no reinforcements waiting.

For a club that leaned heavily on its bullpen for four months and promoted a lot of raw rookies out of necessity, you can see how it's daunting to learn that they'd still be piecing things together for the rest of the year as well. Now that there are no August waiver deals - except when the Los Angels Angels are dumping payroll - the trade deadline is a now-or-never proposition.

While the complaint may be just one player's opinion, the NL playoff teams and teams that are still realistically chasing playoff spots all made moves. The Dodgers loaded up with depth, re-acquiring Enrique Hernandez and Joe Kelly, while also adding Lance Lynn and Ahmed Rosario. The league-leading Braves added two relievers and utility man Nicky Lopez. Milwaukee grabbed Mark Canha, Carlos Santana, and reliever Andrew Chafin. 

Philadelphia added starter Michael Lorenzen, who threw a no-hitter in his second start for the Phillies. Arizona added a closer in Paul Sewald and a right-handed bat in Tommy Pham. Chicago held onto Cody Bellinger and traded for Jeimer Candelario and reliever Jose Cuas.

Even the Miami Marlins made additions, trading for a new third baseman in Josh Burger and a new first baseman in Josh Bell. The Cincinnati Reds added lefty reliever Sam Moll.

Some of these players have been hugely helpful, like Burger and Bell. Others have had mixed results. But all of these teams signaled a level of belief in their players, including the San Diego Padres, who won't make the playoffs but at least played .500 ball the last two months after making some marginal pitching upgrades at the deadline and have a chance to usurp the Giants. 

Trade deadline moves are far less important on the field than the off-season moves, where front offices have months to plan and tinker and build their roster, rather than a few frantic days at the end of July. But psychologically, there's probably a big impact when a front office validates a team's belief in itself.

The 2023 SF Giants were like a kid who has to watch everyone else in class open fancy presents, when all they have is a dented A.J. Pollock from the Dollar Store. Zaidi might not believe in making big deadline moves, but when he didn't do it this year, it looked like he didn't believe in his team, either.