MLB Rumors: Could Giants Trade All-Star Carlos Rodon?

The San Francisco Giants were expected to be buyers ahead of the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline but that may have changed with the team on a five-game losing streak and back at .500. Now the team could actually deal away All-Star pitcher Carlos Rodon, according to reports. Here is a preview for your MLB Betting Odds.

Could Giants Trade All-Star Carlos Rodon?

Last year, San Francisco won 107 games. No one really expected them to repeat exactly that, but continued contention was expected, and for a while, it seemed like they could do it; on April 27, for example, they were 13-6, in first place.

But they’re 35-41 since that high point, and haven’t been higher than third place since the end of April. Over the last month, only three teams have fewer victories. And, as manager Gabe Kapler framed it after being swept by the Dodgers this weekend: “Not good enough. Really frustrating. A level of play that is just not going to be acceptable for us. There’s no other way to classify it. It’s just not good enough.”

Rodon signed a two-year, $44 million contract with the team in March, but earned the ability to opt out if he threw 110 innings this year, a mark he reached in his first start after the All-Star break. It’s likely he would now opt out as Rodon will get a lot more money as he’s 8-5 with a 2.95 ERA and 138 strikeouts.

The former third overall pick is trending towards reaching the market as one of the best, if not the best, arms in the class. He won’t turn 30 years old until December, and he owns a sub-3.00 ERA for a second straight season. Rodón’s place in next winter’s market will be influenced by how he performs over the second half. He seemed trending towards a long-term deal at this point on the calendar last year, but the August shoulder concerns sidetracked that.

On average, San Francisco remains one of the oldest rosters in the National League. Trading Rodon for prospects and young players would put them in a better position for next season.

The San Diego Padres have been rumored in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but the Friars are awaiting word on the health of stellar rookie pitcher Mackenzie Gore, a guy the Nationals would demand in any Soto deal.

Gore exited a 12-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Monday night with elbow soreness. The 23-year-old relieved starter Sean Manaea during the fourth inning. He threw 35 pitches and recorded four outs before walking off the field with a trainer.

“His [velocity] was down some, we haven’t see the [velocity] great for awhile now,” San Diego manager Bob Melvin said. “It became evident in that inning, so we went out there, and felt it was good to get him out of there.”

Gore averaged 92.7 mph on his fastball against the Tigers, down more than 2 mph from his season average. He was charged with two runs, both on a homer by Jeimer Candelario. Days before the All-Star break, the Padres shifted him to the bullpen. Other teams took note. The move is designed to manage Gore’s workload, but it also is an acknowledgment of the need for a reset. The club has not shared a specific plan for returning Gore to the rotation. If the injury is serious, that makes any decision moot and Gore wouldn’t be tradeable.

“We just want to get him confident again in what he’s doing,” Melvin said. “Once he starts throwing the ball over the plate consistently, then we’ll take a look at it again.”

One MLB executive, in assessing the Soto sweepstakes, said, “I think San Diego is as likely as the other 28 teams combined. They have the players and they have (GM AJ) Preller. The question of whether they should make such a deal is another matter. Adding the remainder of Soto’s $17.1 million salary would put them over the luxury-tax threshold for the second straight season.”

The Padres have built their entire rotation via trades: Yu Darvish, Mike Clevinger, Blake Snell, Joe Musgrove, and most recently, Sean Manaea, so Preller clearly isn’t afraid to take a big swing.

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