As the Giants look to salvage what’s left of the 2017 season, much focus has been on what the team must do in order to compete in 2018. After the Giants made ripples instead of waves during the trade deadline, it seems that keeping the core group of players together for the immediate future is more and more likely.
Bobby Evans has made it clear that Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford are the Giants’ “untradeables,” but if the front office is vying to keep the core intact, what adjustments will they need to make during the offseason?
MLB.com contributor Richard Justice joined KNBR on Monday afternoon and discussed the kinds of tweaks the Giants should make this winter to turn things around in 2018.
“You have to go get probably J.D. Martinez or someone like that, but they knew left field was a problem going in to spring training,” said Justice. “As long as you have Bumgarner and Posey at the best part of their career — you could get a good year out of Melancon, Samardzija, right down the line. When you look at the core of players, I understand Pence is not a young player anymore, but Crawford and Belt are not old guys. I would bring it back. I would tweak it and bring it back. I think there’s too much good there.”
Left field has been a problem all season for San Francisco, but it’s possible the Giants may not make a move there either depending on what happens at the end of 2017. Jarrett Parker has received the majority of starts there as of late, but struck out six times over his last nine plate appearances during the weekend. Austin Slater should see more action in September, as Bruce Bochy seems optimistic that he will return to the team from an injury before the season is over.
Listen below for the full podcast. To hear Justice’s thoughts on the Giants, skip to 2:32.
