With hours before the Trade Deadline, the Guardians added right-hander Alex Cobb from the Giants via trade. The Guardians added in a position of need, while the Giants netted a high-upside left-hander from Cleveland in return.
The Guardians’ Return
- SP Alex Cobb (Has not pitched in 2024)
The Giants signed Alex Cobb to a two-year deal after the 2021 campaign with a club option for 2024. That deal came after a strong 2021 with the Angels, where he struck out 98 over 93.1 IP for Los Angeles. With the Giants, Cobb was a highly effective innings muncher for the Giants. Cobb threw more than 140 innings in 2022 and 2023 and netted a sky-high GB% rate of 57.8%.
Cobb’s bread and butter is a mid-90s sinker to go along with a plus splitter. The two pitches work hand-in-hand, as either can be used to work hitters down and out of the zone and tunneled with effectiveness. The result? Swing-and-misses down in the zone, aside from the ground balls.
He doesn’t miss many bats compared to MLB pitchers, to be fair. However, he does get a lot of chases.
Alex Cobb hasn’t pitched in the Majors this season thanks to a hip injury but he was rehabbing before the move. He’ll be a free agent after the 2024 season.
The Giants’ Return
- SP Jacob Bresnahan (2.70 ERA, 66 K over 50 IP (A))
- Player to be named later
The Giants got back left-handed starter Jacob Bresnahan. Bresnahan received $375,000 out of high school in Washington after Cleveland drafted him in the 13th round.
The lefty is a physical specimen at 6’4” and 195 pounds and he’s put up good results to this point in his career. Opposing hitters have batted .196 off the left-hander in the Carolina League.
Analysis
The Giants came into the season with a need for pitching, hence the additions for Blake Snell and Robbie Ray. Assuming Snell doesn’t get moved, those two will headline a rotation that also includes rising young star Kyle Harrison, Logan Webb, and Jordan Hicks, with Hayden Birdsong nearby in Triple-A.
Thus, the Giants had the flexibility to take advantage of the strong sellers’ market and get a projectable pitcher in Bresnahan. It comes just a day after San Francisco, who are still in the playoff race, offloaded Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson.
As for the Guardians, Cleveland continues to add and adds in a position of weakness. With no Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie in the Minors, the Guardians — traditionally a blessed organization from a pitching standpoint — needed help. The Guardians’ trade for Alex Cobb gives them a strong ground ball pitcher who should fit in well with Cleveland, a team with a stellar defensive middle infield.