It has now been a month since the MLB trade deadline, and the Giants’ August 3 purge is starting to take shape across the league. San Francisco spent that day reshaping its system in the middle of a miserable season, and with the club trying to avoid one of the worst finishes in franchise history, there’s a clean way to measure the deals: see what became of the players who were sent out.
Six former Giants moved at the deadline, and the early returns have been a mixed bag.
Erik Miller has looked like a completely different arm in Boston. The lefty has given up just one earned run over 11 and 1/3 innings, piled up 20 strikeouts, and issued only three walks.
That last number stands out, especially for a pitcher whose command issues were a recurring problem in San Francisco. Boston pitching coach Andrew Bailey, who worked for the Giants under Gabe Kapler, may have found something real here.
Heliot Ramos’ move to the Yankees has not gone nearly as smoothly. His first stretch in New York was rough, and the results still haven’t turned around much. He’s batting .141/.286/.266 with one homer and four RBIs, though he has drawn nine walks, so there’s at least some sign that patience could eventually pay off.
Robbie Ray has been the steady version of himself in San Diego. Through five starts with the Padres, he owns a 3.42 ERA, nearly matching the 3.08 mark he posted in San Francisco. With San Diego still in the Wild Card chase, there’s a real chance he ends up mattering in that race.
Luis Arraez opened hot with the Phillies, then settled back down. He’s now hitting .280/.295/.383 with two home runs and 12 RBIs. Philadelphia looks headed for the postseason, so the hope there is that Arraez finds another gear once October arrives.
Caleb Kilian’s start with the Phillies has gone the other direction. He struggled in his limited appearances and then landed on the injured list. The good news for Philadelphia is that he should begin throwing soon, which at least keeps the door open for a return before the playoffs.
Tyler Mahle might be the most eye-catching name in the group. The Giants dealt him to the Braves for Anthony Molina, and Mahle has gone on to post a 1.48 ERA in five starts.
That naturally leads to questions about why San Francisco couldn’t squeeze more out of him, but the immediate takeaway is simpler: he’s dealing now. If he ends up facing the Dodgers in October, Giants fans may have one more reason to watch closely.
The Giants are headed for another season without a playoff berth, but the deadline moves are at least giving them something to monitor from afar. The players they got back have also looked strong in the minors, so right now the trades are lining up as smart business from San Francisco’s side.
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Yunior Marte's Giants Audition Suddenly Means More Than Just Innings
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For the Giants, though, this is about more than covering innings in the moment. Martes stint is now part of a broader evaluation of where he fits going forward, including whether he needs to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft and whether he can work his way into future plans beyond this emergency opportunity. A call-up that began as a roster fix has suddenly turned into a meaningful test of just how much the club believes in what it has seen so far. [Read more 🡒]