A trade nearly a month in the making between the Giants and Cleveland Guardians is now official.
The Giants acquired Guardians infield prospect Nate Furman as the player to be named later in the deal that sent pitcher Alex Cobb to Cleveland on July 30. The trade also brought left-handed pitcher Jacob Bresnahan to San Francisco. The addition of Furman was first reported by FanSided’s Robert Murray on Monday and later confirmed by the team.
Furman, who turned 23 in July, was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Guardians. Currently, he’s on the minor league 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain, following a rough stint at Double-A where he slashed .125/.300/.200 in 51 plate appearances. However, these struggles came after he excelled in High-A with a .338/.417/.500 batting line over 176 PAs.
Furman primarily played second and third base with the Guardians but also spent time at both middle infield positions during his tenure at the University of North Carolina. Additionally, he brings speed to the bases, successfully stealing 47 bases in 54 attempts during his professional career.
Alex Cobb, who pitched for the Giants in 2022 and 2023, made two starts for the Guardians after the trade before returning to the IL with a broken fingernail last Monday. Cobb had missed the first half of the 2024 MLB season due to offseason hip surgery and made his return with Cleveland on August 9.
In his first start with the Guardians, Cobb pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits, with one strikeout and one walk in a 6-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins. He showed improvement in his second start, going 5 2/3 innings and giving up just one run on three hits, with three strikeouts and two walks, earning the win in a 6-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
With Robbie Ray set to undergo an MRI after leaving the Giants’ recent game against the Mariners with hamstring tightness, San Francisco is currently facing a shortage of starting pitching depth. However, with Cobb back on the IL, it’s uncertain if he would have significantly impacted the team had he stayed in the Bay Area.
The Giants now hope that their return for Cobb, Furman, and Bresnahan will pay off in the long term.
