Giants make two trades after embarrassing sweep by Yankees

On Monday, the San Francisco Giants announced two trades after getting swept by the New York Yankees on Opening Weekend.

• OF Luis Matos traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for cash considerations.
• RHP Dylan Smith was acquired by the Giants from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for cash considerations. Smith has been optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.
• IF/OF Tyler Fitzgerald was designated for assignment to make room for Smith on the Giants’ 40-man roster.

These three moves are major for this ballclub. Fitzgerald is not far removed from a very good rookie season, but he is out of options and had to be DFA’d in order to make room on the roster. There is a solid chance that a team claims Fitzgerald, as he has a high ceiling.

The Giants are also moving on from outfielder Luis Matos, who showed major promise a few years back. However, with the additions to the roster over the last year, Matos no longer became a part of SF’s plan. Matos hit eight home runs last season with a total of 15 homers in his career with the Giants. The Brewers will be getting an outfielder with potential to be a 15+ home run guy per season if he gets the at-bats.

Dylan Smith is a right-handed pitcher from the Tigers who could be a solid bullpen arm for the Giants. SF made room on the 40-man roster for him already by DFA-ing Fitzgerald. Smith has a ton of potential, owning a career 1.38 ERA in seven games. He’s allowed just two runs in 13 innings, but walks were an issue.

The Giants take on the San Diego Padres tonight for the first of a three-game series.