Should San Francisco Giants Avoid Trading for Star Pitcher?

The San Francisco Giants need bullpen help at the MLB trade deadline, but might need to look somewhere else than this star relief pitcher.

May 15, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Tanner Scott (66) pitches in the ninth / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants bullpen has been one of the most disappointing aspects of the 2024 season.

The staff currently ranks 27th in MLB in terms of ERA. Nine different pitchers are over 4.00 this season.

It will be something they look at in the trade market towards the deadline if they decide to become sellers. One name that has been linked to them in the past might be worth a second look before pulling the trigger on a trade.

Miami Marlins star relief pitcher Tanner Scott was one of the best bullpen arms last season, but hasn't looked the same this time around.

Scott has a lot going for him on the surface. Through his first 17 appearances this year, he has an ERA all the way down at 2.12 and a WHIP of 1.53.

He has a low WHIP and ERA for his career, but a little peek under the covers reveals that he might be on the verge of falling apart.

The first and most obvious stat that is troubling would be his walk issues. So far, he is averaging one walk per innings. His command issues have his BB/9 at by far the highest mark of his entire career.

Not only is he not getting pitches into the strike zone, batters are swinging at his pitches outside 10% less often than last season. He’s not fooling batters.

An outlier statistic in the other direction for the 29-year-old is his BABIP. His previous career low was .224 in 2020, but he is a career .322 guy. In 2024, it’s all the way down at .186. He isn’t allowing a ton of hits this season, but logic says that he is due to regress a bit from where he’s at right now.

There’s not a huge difference in the types of pitches he’s throwing or the contact that is being made, the balls just aren’t falling against him.

Things could be a lot worse for Scott than they are right now. It’s not guaranteed that his season will fall apart, but there are some causes for concern that might force a team to look in a different direction.

Scott is a big name that will draw a bigger trade package on the market than some of the cheaper options.

With where the season is at for San Francisco, they should avoid trading for Scott and look for better value instead. Trading away any real top prospects doesn't make much sense in such a tumultuous season.