© Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
On Tuesday, it was announced that the San Francisco Giants have traded right-handed pitcher Chris Stratton to the Los Angeles Angels for left-handed reliever Williams Jerez. Murph & Mac brought on Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper Tuesday morning to get his reaction on the ballclub moving their young starter.
Kuiper commented on what Stratton brought to the Giants, and what they’ll be moving on from.
“There was a time last year, maybe for two months, that he was their best starter,” Kuiper said. “He’s got a chance to be pretty good, and it was a roster decision where if you put him on waivers, somebody’s going to pick him up. And who wouldn’t pick the guy up. He had a decent spring, and I’m not into analytics, but as far as spin rate goes on his breaking ball, he’s one of the top-three in the league.”
Stratton came out and said that he was surprised to hear the news, as the Giants are the only ballclub he has known in his young career, but Kuiper thinks Stratton is going to be just fine in the future, and said it may even be a blessing in disguise for him.
“I know he’s shocked, but he’s in a better place because he’s got a better chance of making that Angels rotation than he did the Giants rotation,” Kuiper said. “There’s your parallel; Sacramento or Anaheim. Look, he’s going to be really happy that this happened to him because he’s going to get a chance to pitch in the big-leagues.”
To hear Duane Kuiper’s full interview with Murph & Mac, click the link below:
