Giants acquire ex-All-Star outfielder from AL team

Sep 13, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler (19) returns to the dugout before the game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

It might not be an even year, but the San Francisco Giants are still gunning for it.

Jeff Passan of ESPN reports Monday that the Giants have traded for righty bat AJ Pollock. San Francisco is acquiring Pollock and utility player Mark Matthias from the Seattle Mariners.

Pollock, the 35-year-old outfielder, is well familiar with the NL West. He spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks (making an All-Star team in 2015) and then the next three years with the Los Angeles Dodgers (winning the World Series in 2020).

Of course, that all seems like a long way off these days given Pollock’s woeful 2023 season so far. He had been a skunk at the plate for Seattle, hitting .173 with an OPS+ of — cover your eyes, kids — 53.

But the rationale for the Giants is that they need warm bodies in the outfield with Mike Yastrzemski nursing a hamstring issue and Mitch Haniger still on the IL with a forearm injury. Even if Pollock just gives them a few weeks of passable production, that could be big with San Francisco only two games back of the NL West lead (currently occupying the first Wild Card spot).

Meanwhile, the Mariners appear to be mashing the sell button. They traded closer Paul Sewald to Arizona earlier in the day on Monday and could send some more big names packing before Tuesday’s deadline.