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UPDATE 10:30 PM: Baggarly tweets that the Giants have placed Tony Abreu on the disabled list and optioned Kensuke Tanaka to Triple-A, meaning that the moves are not because of a trade.
Something might be brewing in San Francisco. Following a report from FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal this morning that described how the Giants are entertaining offers for veterans like Hunter Pence, Tim Lincecum and Javier Lopez, the last-place Giants may be close on a trade as the deadline approaches.
The Giants have decided to promote prospects Brett Pill and Roger Kieschnick from Triple-A Fresno, according to Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com, who notes that the corresponding moves are still pending and that trades may be involved.
Pill and Kieschnick will join #SFGiants in Philly tomorrow. Corresponding moves might involve a trade. Nothing done yet.
— Andrew Baggarly (@CSNBaggs) July 29, 2013
Baggarly reports that the corresponding move will not be simply removing Kensuke Tanaka and Jeff Francoeur from the roster, as many have assumed. The Giants have kept Pill and Kieschnick out of Fresno's lineup for the past two days, meaning that something big may be brewing for San Francisco.
The Giants are playing this one tight, but I'm told it would be wrong to speculate Tanaka/Francoeur is the other half of the roster moves.
— Andrew Baggarly (@CSNBaggs) July 29, 2013
Because Pill and Kieschnick can both play in the outfield, the logical assumption is that a deal involving Pence may in the works. The Pirates and Rangers have been linked to the 30-year old for weeks, and CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman threw a new suitor into the ring on Monday.
#reds have inquired on hunter pence. seek a righty hitter. doesnt look like a match so far.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 29, 2013
Although the Rangers may look to stand pat at the deadline, they have been aggressive in their search for a bat in recent weeks. They have recently lost interest in White Sox' outfielder Alex Rios, and are targeting bigger names like Pence, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.
Heyman later noted that the Giants expect to extend qualifying offers to both Pence and Lincecum after the season, meaning that their price for the veterans is likely very high. They have been entertaining offers on the pair of pending free agents, and would be eager to move one if they got an offer that they could not refuse. Lopez could draw interest from teams like the Diamondbacks and Indians, and first baseman Brandon Belt has been rumored to be another name that could be on the move.
With the Giants staying tight-lipped on a seemingly simple roster move, something may be in the works with Pence or another movable veteran. In what has been a relatively straightforward and unexciting trade season to this point, San Francisco may be the first to make a bold move before the deadline.
More from MLB Daily Dish:
- White Sox will not trade Chris Sale
- Rangers trade rumors: Joe Nathan available in search of offense
- Brian Wilson draws large scouting presence at audition
- Giants trade rumors: Lincecum trade unlikely
- Brewers, Diamondbacks discussing Gallardo, others
- Orioles may make Bundy available in trade
