Pittsburgh Pirates: The Giants A Fit for Adam Frazier

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 16: Adam Frazier #26 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at bat against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on June 16, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 16: Adam Frazier #26 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at bat against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on June 16, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a hot commodity in this years Trade Deadline.  Could the team with the best record in baseball be a fit?

Despite many fans wanting to see second baseman Adam Frazier be traded, Ben Cherington and the Pittsburgh Pirates held onto him.  It is looking like that was the correct decision.  After hitting .230/.297/.364 a season ago, the 2021 starting National League All Star second baseman is hitting .324/.392/.462 with 2.5 fWAR.  The Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees have been connected to him.  Could the San Francisco Giants?

The Giants signed Tommy La Stella to be their second baseman this year but he has been hurt for a large portion of the season.  He might return after the All-Star break, but given his flexibility and Frazier’s flexibility, the Giants still seem like a fit.  La Stella is a career .272/.347/.402 hitter with a strikeout rate of just 10.8 percent.  Meanwhile, Frazier is a career .281/.345/.421 hitter with a 13.2 percent strikeout rate.  The two players are very similar in high contact, productive left handed hitters who provide defensive versatility.  So who could the Pirates be interested in?

The first player is left handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, a third round pick from last years draft.  Cherington with the Pirates has traded for young pitching talent and Harrison fits that mold, especially given his 6’2″ and 200 pound frame.  FanGraphs has him as a 45+ FV with a plus changeup and at least an average fastball and curveball.

The other player is right handed pitcher Kai Wei Teng.  Teng signed with the Twins but was traded to the Giants at the 2019 deadline.  Teng is 22 with a big 6’4″ and 260 pound frame.   He has a 5.11 ERA in High A but is projected by FanGraphs with four average pitches and 60 command.   That is roughly the report on Miguel Yajure, who Cherington acquired for Jameson Taillon.

Next. Examining Adam Frazier's Breakout. dark

Overall, the Giants might not have the second base need for Adam Frazier but their team has sustained injuries.  They’ve had interest in the Frazier profile (La Stella) and with the defensive flexibility both provide the clubs still fit.  The Giants have the young pitching that the Pittsburgh Pirates like too.