© Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Pitchers and catchers are reporting in eight days and the MLB offseason was gracious enough to stand by and wait for football to end before getting started. In the Giants pursuit for outfielders and players in general, they are reportedly discussing a potential trade for Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.
As SF has canvassed the market for OF help, they’ve talked about Jacoby Ellsbury, probably would be open to a bad contract swap. For example, speculation: Cueto owed $68m, coming back from TJ surgery; NYY could recoup insurance in ’19. Ellsbury owed $48m. $ would have to even out
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 4, 2019
Ellsbury has been linked to the Giants in year’s past before the trade deadline. A trade for Ellsbury, as Olney speculates, would indeed be a swap of bad contracts. Evan Longoria’s name has been tossed around this offseason as a potential salary dump, as well as Mark Melancon. The Giants have plenty of bad contracts they would like to relieve themselves of, but Johnny Cueto is the newest name to be tossed around.
Currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Cueto is expected to miss most of the 2019 season. Cueto announced via Twitter that he will be at Giants spring training, playing catch.
Thanks to Dr. ElAttrache and the Giants training staff I will be ready to start playing catch when I get to spring training. See you all in Scottsdale this spring. Vamos ?? https://t.co/t8G1v4DQ1A
— Johnny Cueto (@JohnnyCueto) January 31, 2019
The Yankees are a team that always seems to be in the market for starting pitching, and the possible addition of Cueto could provide some great depth to the rotation down the stretch. The Giants are expected to be in the market for at least two new, corner outfielders, and Ellsbury could provide some veteran depth at one of those positions.
Ellsbury’s career has been inconsistent and injury-ridden in his eleven years in the AL East. Ellsbury had his best season in 2011 where he finished second in MVP voting, hitting .321 with 32 homers and 105 RBI’s. Since that breakout season for Boston, Ellsbury has maintained an okay average but has hit home runs in the double digits just once. Ellsbury did not play in a single game this season due to injury. His last season in 2017, he also battled injuries while hitting .264 with seven home runs and 39 RBI’s in 112 games played. His 2016 season was not much better, hitting .263 with nine home runs and 56 RBI’s.
Ellsbury will certainly not help much in the power department for the Giants, but if he can stay healthy, he can provide an above-average bat and solid defense. Entering his age 35 season, Ellsbury is owed $21 million each of the next two seasons. As Olney speculates, the remaining contracts of Cueto ($68 million) and Ellsbury ($48 million) will need to include some money to even out the deal.