Odds Favor Hunter Pence Being Traded to Tampa Bay Rays Before Trade Deadline; Red-Hot Giants at +500
- Rangers OF Hunter Pence won World Series titles with San Francisco in 2012 & 2014 and is having a bounce-back season
- The Giants are red-hot and only 3.5 games out of a playoff spot, potentially making them buyers at the deadline
- What does that mean for Pence’s future?
There aren’t many impact bats for sale at the MLB trade deadline but Hunter Pence could definitely help a contender in need.
Pence’s team come August 1st is the subject of sportsbooks latest MLB trade-deadline prop bet.
Who Will Hunter Pence Play For After MLB Trade Deadline?
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays | -135 |
| Texas Rangers | -105 |
| San Francisco Giants | +500 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +550 |
*odds taken 7/26
There are some intriguing options for where Pence will play and the oddsmakers seem to think it’s a two-horse race between the Tampa Bay Rays and his current team, the Texas Rangers. For my money however, I’m taking the value in the San Francisco Giants and here’s why.
Is Third Time A Charm For Giants?
Pence owns two World Series rings. He won the first in 2012 with the Giants and the second in 2014 with, you guessed it, the Giants.
A few weeks ago, many believed San Francisco was destined to be a seller, but after an awesome run that’s seen them win 16 of 20, they are now buyers. The fact you can take them at +500 is something you should definitely explore.
This was the fifth career walk-off hit for @KFP48.
@BankofAmerica | #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/Z1jLqaPu4t— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 24, 2019
The news out of the Bay Area a couple days ago was that, with the team surging to within a few games of a Wild-Card spot, ace Madison Bumgarner is unlikely to be dealt.
If they’re not going to be sellers, could they turn to an old friend to help out down the stretch?
Pence has 15 home runs and 50 runs batted in this season while sporting a .291 average. Those numbers slid in to the Giants’ lineup could help propel them up the offensive categories. As it stands, they rank 22nd in runs scored and Pence would come at a modest cost.
Rays & Rangers Don’t Make As Much Sense For Pence
Texas keeping Pence seems like a mistake to me. Despite a record that’s still over .500, they have little chance of making the playoffs and shouldn’t waste the chance to capitalize on an asset.
They are 5.5 back of the Wild Card and shouldn’t consider themselves true contenders to play in October.
BREAKING: Blake Snell will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery.
Via: @TheAthleticMLB pic.twitter.com/ZPya1CUnfb
— ChangeUp on DAZN (@changeupondazn) July 25, 2019
As for the Rays, they appeared to be making a run at the playoffs thanks to a hot start to the season. Things have cooled of late and they now sit only a half game up on Boston for second in the American League East.
With news that Blake Snell is out long term due to elbow surgery, the team’s chances of making the postseason have taken a huge hit. Will a conservative front office really want to pay a price for Pence when it seems like a coin-flip at best to scrape into a Wild-Card spot?
PICK: San Francisco Giants (+500)
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Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
