The San Francisco Giants traded veteran starter Ross Stripling and cash considerations across the Bay to the Oakland Athletics for minor league outfielder Jonah Cox. Stripling is scheduled to earn $12.5 million this season. Jonah Bride was designated for assignment to fill room on the 40-man roster. The A’s also confirmed their reported one-year deal with southpaw Alex Wood.
The Oakland A’s acquired right-hander Ross Stripling in a trade with the San Francisco Giants for minor league IF/OF Jonah Cox.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 2, 2024
Rare Trade Between the Two Bay Area Clubs
Indeed, it is a rare trade between the A’s and the Giants. It’s a move that will help Oakland add some much-needed depth to the roster. Stripling is coming off a rough season after inking a two-year, $25 million deal with San Francisco. The right-hander opened the season with a 7.24 ERA in 32 1/3 innings, switching between the rotation and bullpen. Then he hit the injured list with a back strain for six weeks. However, he finished his first year, posting a 5.36 ERA over 89 innings. Stripling’s contract did come with the ability to opt-out following the season, but he chose to stay with the Giants.
Ross Stripling Career
Stripling has served as a swingman for the majority of his career. He was often used as a sixth starter with the Los Angeles Dodgers or the Toronto Blue Jays, who acquired him at the 202 trade deadline. 2022 saw Stripling fill a full-time rotation role after Hyun Jin Ryu was out from Tommy John surgery. The veteran righty helped the Blue Jays rotation for most of the season, posting a 2.93 ERA in 123 1/3 innings out of the rotation. His results were everything the Blue Jays wanted out of him.
In Stripling, the A’s have a versatile arm with success in various roles. He won’t overpower that many hitters, but he offers a solid 43.8% grounder rate and some of the best command in baseball.
Jonah Cox Profile
Cox transferred to Oral Roberts, and they went all the way to the College World Series by hitting .412/.470/.646 with 11 home runs and 28 steals in 66 games. His 47-game hitting streak stands as the third-longest in NCAA Division I history. The A’s would select him in the sixth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. In his professional debut, he marched through the Rookie League competition, hitting .421/.560/.579 with six stolen bases in seven games. It was enough for him to earn a promotion, where he hit .264/.325/.373 with two home runs and 14 stolen bases in 16 attempts with Single-A Stockton.
Cox immediately throttles himself as one of the best athletes in the Giants prospect system. He is a plus-plus runner with a great sense of contact skills at the plate. He even has the tools to be an everyday lead-off hitter in center field. If it all works out, this could be a win for the Giants and the future.
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