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After a quiet start to 2015 trade season, the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants have made a move. According to reports, the Giants have acquired RHP Mike Leake from the Cincinnati Reds.
reds receive two minor leaguers back for leake. big move for giants, who are going for 4 rings in 6 years.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 31, 2015
After a slow start to the 2015 campaign, San Francisco currently sits just a half a game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the lead in the NL West. After seeing the Dodgers add both Alex Wood and Mat Latos earlier today, it was clear the Giants needed to make their own move in efforts of fortifying the pitching staff, which has been heavily reliant on Madison Bumgarner and Chris Heston.
Leake is one of the most underrated pitchers in all of MLB. In 21 starts this season, Leake is 9-6 with a 3.56 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. Sure, he’s not a staff ace, but those statistics are nothing to sneeze at as a middle-of-the-rotation arm.
Leake was drafted in 2009 by Cincinnati and started the 2010 campaign with the big club. He’s one of the few players in modern-day baseball history to never appear in a minor league game prior to making it to the big show (other than six fall-league appearances).
It’s entirely possible San Francisco isn’t finished and has a move or two to make yet prior to Friday’s 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline. The Giants could undoubtedly use some outfield depth and an arm in the bullpen for the stretch run.
