The Guardians and Giants have completed a trade sending veteran right-hander Alex Cobb from San Francisco to Cleveland. In exchange, the Giants will receive minor league left-hander Jacob Bresnahan and a player to be named later from the Guardians.
Cobb, who has been on the injured list this season due to hip surgery from the offseason, has yet to pitch in 2024. Although he was expected to return earlier, his recovery was delayed by shoulder issues and blister problems. He is nearing a return and might pitch within the next week. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Guardians plan to have Cobb make one final rehab start before his activation. Cobb’s last appearance was on the 26th, and he is scheduled to pitch again soon.
The 36-year-old Cobb is in the final year of a contract that started as a two-year, $20 million deal but was extended to three years and $28 million after the Giants exercised a $10 million option instead of a $2 million buyout. He still has $3.333 million left to be paid this season.
Despite not pitching in 2024 yet, Cobb has been a reliable starter for the Angels and Giants over the past three seasons, with a combined 3.79 ERA, a 22.8% strikeout rate, and a 6.9% walk rate in 394 1/3 innings. He has started 74 games during this period, averaging around 5 1/3 innings per start.
The Guardians, facing the loss of Shane Bieber for the season and issues with Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen, have been relying on a makeshift rotation including Carlos Carrasco and Ben Lively. While Lively has performed better than expected, Carrasco has struggled with a 5.68 ERA in 95 innings. The Guardians recently called up rookie Joey Cantillo for his MLB debut, and their rotation currently includes steady right-handers Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, and Lively.
In return for Cobb, the Giants will receive Bresnahan, a 19-year-old lefty drafted in the 13th round of the 2023 draft, and a player to be named later. Bresnahan, who signed for a $375,000 bonus, was ranked as the 491st prospect in last year’s draft by Baseball America. Though not among the Guardians’ top prospects, he has started well in the lower minors, with a 2.70 ERA, a 32.5% strikeout rate, and an 8.9% walk rate over 50 innings.
With Cobb leaving, the Giants are likely to give young pitcher Hayden Birdsong more opportunities, following Logan Webb, Blake Snell, Robbie Ray, and Kyle Harrison. Birdsong has shown promise with a 2.97 ERA in six big league starts and strong performances in the upper minors. The departure of Cobb makes it easier to integrate Birdsong into the rotation.
The Giants might have considered a six-man rotation, but their unconventional approach under president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi often deviates from traditional setups. The trade likely aimed to reduce payroll and provide a chance for Birdsong, while also relieving the team of Cobb’s remaining salary. This deal, along with the recent trade of Jorge Soler, helps the Giants lower their luxury-tax burden, though they will still need significant moves to drop below the $237 million threshold.
