Giants Trade For Bench Depth, De Aza
While in the heart of a 14-inning battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night, the San Francisco Giants front office made a last second trade with the Boston Red Sox to acquire outfielder Alejandro De Aza. The Giants gave up a minor league pitcher, Luis Ysla, in the deal.
De Aza, 31, has hit .261/.319/.436 in 90 games with the Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles this season. He has 13 doubles, seven home runs and 32 RBI this season, with a league average 103 OPS+.
The move will only help the Giants bench depth, with Gregor Blanco and the newly acquired Marlon Byrd helping out the group of injury prone starters Hunter Pence, Nori Aoki and Angel Pagan in the outfield.
De Aza brings an element they have lacked since Aoki was first injured: speed. With Pagan losing the wheels he once had and Aoki slowing down with injuries, Blanco has been the sole base-stealer on the team. De Aza has just five stolen bases, but his speed is still there and will be a threat.