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| Kevin Pillar. Photo from Sportsnet |
The San Francisco Giants have acquired outfielder Kevin Pillar from the Toronto Blue Jays for utility man Alen Hansen and pitchers Derek Law and Juan De Paula.
The Giants finally found their outfielder, after going all offseason and Spring Training without acquiring one. Their two outfield acquisitions were Gerardo Parra and Michael Reed. Reed was DFA\’d after the trade. Pillar will likely play left field, with Steven Duggar in center and Parra in right. Duggar could also play left with Pillar in center, where he played in Toronto. Pillar can hit 15 home runs and steal 15 bases. He is a good addition for two players that didn\’t make the roster and a pitcher without a full season in the Giants\’ system.
Pillar, 30, is one for 16 (.063 batting average) with one RBI in 2019. In 2018, he hit .252 with 15 home runs, 59 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 542 Plate Appearances. In his MLB career, all in Toronto, Pillar has a batting average of .260 with 55 home runs, 231 RBIs and 69 stolen bases.
The Blue Jays are starting their trade deadline dealing early, which is a smart move. Kendrys Morales was already dealt to Oakland last week, and now Pillar is gone. In return, they get De Paula, a young prospect who has succeeded in the low minors, and Law and Hansen, both not on the 40-man roster but have MLB experience. This lets 24 year old Anthony Alford get MLB experience, or they could put Socrates Brito in the mix, and move Billy McKinney to center.
De Paula, 21, had a 1.72 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 52.1 innings for Low-A Staten Island (Yankees) and Single-A Augusta (Giants). In his MiLB career, he has a 2.47 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP and 229 strikeouts in 233 innings. He was acquired by the Giants last August for Andrew McCutchen.
Hansen, 26, hit .252 with eight home runs, 39 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 310 Plate Appearances for the Giants last year. In his MLB career for the Giants, Chicago White Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates, Hansen has a .238 batting average with 12 homers, 51 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 577 Plate Appearances.
Law, 28, had a 7.43 ERA with a 5.34 FIP and 12 strikeouts in 13.1 innings for the Giants in 2018. In his MLB career, all in San Fran, Law has a 3.83 ERA with a 3.51 FIP and 97 strikeouts in 105.2 innings.
CarterHud 