LOS ANGELES _ Throughout the spring, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi insisted the club was interested in trading for an extra veteran outfielder.
When the Giants set their Opening Day roster, Zaidi had yet to follow through. Five days into the season, he made good on his promise as San Francisco sent three players to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for center fielder Kevin Pillar.
Pillar, 30, is considered a strong defensive center fielder and is an upgrade over the Giants' previous fourth outfielder, Michael Reed, who was designated for assignment to clear room on the 40-man roster for Pillar. Zaidi traded pitching prospect Juan De Paula, infielder Alen Hanson and reliever Derek Law to Toronto to acquire Pillar.
Despite a low career on-base percentage of .297 and a 1-for-16 start to the season, Pillar figures to earn playing time in a San Francisco outfield that was weak on veteran presences. Minor league free agent Gerardo Parra was the only full-time outfielder with more than 150 career at-bats on the Opening Day roster and Pillar brings seven years of major league experience to the club.
Pillar is arbitration-eligible and earning $5.8 million this season and will remain under club control through the end of the 2020 season. The longest-tenured member of the Blue Jays, Pillar is a three-time Gold Glove Award finalist (2015, 2016, 2017), who hit a combined 31 home runs over the last two seasons.
Pillar is a West Hills, Calif., native and a product of Cal State University Dominguez Hills.
De Paula was the toughest asset to part with for the Giants as former general manager Bobby Evans acquired the young right-hander in a swap with the New York Yankees for Andrew McCutchen last August. De Paula, 21, was expected to begin the year in the Low-A Augusta rotation after posting a 1.72 ERA in 11 games and 10 starts across two levels last summer.
The Giants designated Law for assignment earlier this offseason and did not make room for Hanson on their 25-man roster after the speedy switch-hitter struggled throughout spring training. Neither player figured to be a major part of San Francisco's future plans, but the transaction also cost the Giants a fourth player.
After being acquired from Minnesota in the days leading up to the regular season, Reed began his tenure with the Giants 0-for-8 with six strikeouts. Zaidi liked that Reed brought versatility to the outfield and a right-handed bat to the mix, but manager Bruce Bochy admitted Reed appeared overwhelmed in his first at-bats of the season.
The Giants have had interest in acquiring Pillar before Zaidi took over as the front office leader and per a source, they also checked in on his availability earlier this spring.
