2024-07-31 06:50:02
The Cleveland Guardians have acquired right-handed starter Alex Cobb from the San Francisco Giants, the teams announced Tuesday. In exchange, the Giants will receive left-handed pitcher Jacob Bresnahan and a player to be named later.
Cobb, 36, has not yet appeared in the majors this season on account of injury. He missed the beginning of the season recovering from offseason hip surgery, then halted his throwing program during the spring because of shoulder trouble. Cobb was nearing his return this week, but he popped a blister on his index finger during his final rehab start, once again pushing back his season debut.
Cobb made the All-Star Game last season en route to compiling a 3.87 ERA (108 ERA+) and a 3.54 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 28 starts. He has not posted an ERA+ below 100 since the 2019 season, in which he was limited by injury to three appearances.
The Guardians are banking on Cobb providing an oomph to a rotation that ranks 24th in the majors in ERA. Cleveland is operating without two notable members of their rotation: ace Shane Bieber (out for the season following elbow surgery) and Triston McKenzie (demoted to the minors following underperformance).
Cleveland enter Tuesday with a 64-42 record on the season, giving them a 5 1/2 game advantage in the American League Central over the Minnesota Twins. Cobb is the second notable addition the Guardians have made at the deadline, joining veteran outfielder Lane Thomas, who was obtained from the Washington Nationals on Monday.
Bresnahan, 19, was the Guardians’ 13th-round pick last season. Baseball America’s most recent rankings update did not include him as one of the top 30 prospects in Cleveland’s system.
