The clock hit 3:00 p.m., and Carlos Rodón and Joc Pederson were still Giants.
San Francisco’s two All-Stars were also the most common names to appear in trade rumors leading up to the deadline. But even after shipping out contributors Darin Ruf and Curt Casali, plus injured pitchers Trevor Rosenthal and Matt Boyd, the Giants stopped short of a full fire sale.
“Fortunately I get to stay here with my teammates,” Rodón calmly said from the locker that remains his.
Speaking with reporters, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi reiterated that his club is within striking distance of a playoff spot. The Giants, 4.5 games out of the third wild card spot, play the Dodgers in the second of a four-game series Tuesday night after a strange, uncertain day in Oracle Park.
“The present really matters to us,” Zaidi said. “For most of this season, we’ve been in a playoff spot. Obviously we’ve had a bad couple of weeks that’s kind of put us on the fringes of the race. But we know a hot two weeks could turn us around just like a bad two weeks put us here.”
The Giants explored all possible options, Zaidi said. They fielded calls about Kyle Harrison. They did due diligence on Juan Soto, who was traded to the Padres. They were open to conversations about anyone not just in their farm system, but in the entire organization.
What made Rodón and Pederson likely trade candidates is that they can both become free agents at the end of the year. Rodón, if he finishes the season healthy, will likely earn a long-term, big-money deal Zaidi’s front office has been averse to. Pederson has a skill set the front office has been able to find on the cheap successfully.
Zaidi’s job is to balance the direction of the Giants organization both for now and the future. Trading Rodón and Pederson, likely for prospects or younger major leaguers, would have represented a major step back.
Fangraphs gives the Giants a 16.8% chance at making the postseason on the morning of Aug. 2. Baseball-Reference’s metric is more bearish. Without Rodón and Pederson, those odds would have crept closer to zero.
Nothing lined up enough to take that step, Zaidi said.
“We weren’t going to make trades just for the sake of making them,” Zaidi said. “They have to make sense for us both short and long term.”
In his most recent start, Rodón fanned 10 Cubs in seven shutout innings, displaying the arsenal that has made him one of the most dominant starters in MLB. He did it amid outside noise, setting a “gold standard” of professionalism, his manager Gabe Kapler said.
That start lowered Rodón’s ERA to 3.00. His 2.29 FIP and 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings lead the National League.
Rodón’s unique contract may have complicated his trade market. Since he already hit the 110-inning threshold, he can opt out of his contract next year and become a free agent. If he gets hurt between now and the end of the year, he could opt in, leaving his new team with potentially a $22 million bill next season.
The Giants signed Rodón to that incentive-laced deal this winter because of his injury history. Rodón has exceeded 140 innings in a season just once in his career, and has dealt with a sprained wrist, bicep bursitis, shoulder inflammation and Tommy John surgery. Last year, his velocity dipped toward the end of the season.
But Rodón has made every start for the Giants this season, already racking up 123 innings. It’s Pederson who is currently on the injured list with a concussion.
Pederson could return this weekend, Kapler said. He’s played 87 games for the Giants, hitting .243 with a team-high 17 home runs. He flourished to start the season, hitting six home runs in each of the first two months of the season, adding five in June. On May 25, he became the second Giant ever to smack three home runs in a single game at Oracle Park.
But Pederson slumped to a .111 average in July and hasn’t homered since June 25.
Last year, Pederson lit a spark for the World Series-winning Braves, hitting eight home runs in the second half and playoffs combined.
“We’ve seen him kind of carry our team for stretches,” Zaidi said. “Obviously the concussion’s unfortunate, but he’s doing better. We saw what he did for a team that was in a very similar position to us last year down the stretch. It’s not just his production, it’s his energy.”
Though the Giants kept Pederson and Rodón, they did ship out catcher Curt Casali and slugger Darin Ruf — plus Rosenthal and Boyd. In return, they received J.D. Davis and a slew of prospects.
Among the prospects joining the Giants’ organization, Thomas Szapucki may be the only one who can contribute to SF’s playoff push. The Giants were in need of a left-handed reliever, and Szapucki has some big-league experience.
Along with Pederson, the Giants are also expecting Brandon Crawford — who begins a rehab assignment Tuesday — back soon. Evan Longoria, Thairo Estrada and reliever Zack Littell are each trending in the right direction as well.
San Francisco remains on the outside of the playoff picture, but getting healthy — plus keeping Pederson and Rodón — could change that.
“Let’s try to friggin’ win,” Rodón said.” That’s kind of my thought. We’re here. Might as well do it. Not just showing up for no reason.”