The Giants, in desperate need of an offensive lift, traded for a 35-year-old outfielder who’s hitting .173 on the season.
AJ Pollock, who’s set to arrive in San Francisco Tuesday, is coming from Seattle — along with veteran utility man Mark Mathias — in a trade in which the Giants will send a player to be named later and cash to the Mariners.
San Francisco is betting on Pollock’s track record, particularly against left-handed pitching, and presence in the clubhouse to provide some help.
“This is a move that suggests we think there’s more in the tank for AJ,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said.
“Obviously, he hasn’t had a great season in Seattle,” president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said “But we kind of look in some of the underlying measures — plate discipline, how he’s moving around the field, his sprint speeds are good. We just view him as a really good change of scenery candidate.”
The Giants expressed interest in Pollock in the offseason, but the roster fit wasn’t as clean as it is now, with multiple position players banged up.
San Francisco has faith that its hitting coaches can help Pollock regain his form. From 2014 to 2021, the one-time All-Star hit .284 with 116 home runs and a .838 OPS.
Pollock has an identical .838 OPS in his career against left-handed pitching, which has been a weakness for the Giants. As a team, the Giants rank 28th in wRC+ against southpaws this season.
Even at 35, Pollock grades in the 89th percentile in sprint speed. He is chasing pitches at a career-high 39.4% rate, though, and has struck out 30 times compared to nine walks.
Before hitting the injured list with a hamstring strain, Pollock had shown signs of turning his season around. He went 5-for-17 with a home run (.824 OPS) in six games prior to his injury. Pollock is still on the IL but is expected to return this week.
Pollock, and any other position player the Giants may acquire, will join the team at a precarious point. In the month of July, the Giants rank last in MLB in runs scored, batting average, and wRC+. Still, because of strong pitching and defense, SF has hovered around .500 in the month.
Zaidi said that the quality of at-bats at the bottom of the lineup haven’t risen to the level of those at the top two-thirds of the order. Because of that, rallies have often petered out.
If he’s right, Pollock gives Kapler another option to lengthen the batting order. Coming from Seattle, Pollock will suddenly be thrust into the thick of the National League playoff race; the Giants are one of several teams with realistic sights on three wild card spots.
“I think it’s pretty energizing,” Kapler said. “I’m pretty confident that adrenaline and some newness can breathe new life into a player’s performance.”
Pollock is viewed as a good fit for the Giants culturally. He played with Ross Stripling, Alex Wood and Joc Pederson in Los Angeles and has remained close with Pederson. Another veteran with over 100 postseason plate appearances can’t hurt, either.
“Awesome guy,” Wood said of Pollock. “Just a total pro, smart player. Been doing it a long time. Sounds like he was stuck in a not great situation playing center there.”
If nothing else, bringing in Pollock is a low-risk move. As Mike Yastrzemski (hamstring) and Mitch Haniger (forearm) are sidelined, the Giants could use some more thump — particularly from the right side. Outfielder Austin Slater also isn’t 100% healthy, so Pollock will certainly get opportunities.
But is trading for Pollock enough of a signal to the clubhouse that could use a lift?
“We think AJ’s going to be additive for us, yes,” Kapler said.
