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Giants, Rays both reap benefits from Moore trade

Matt Moore is affordable and talented, but will he finally settle into a good groove with the Giants? Brian Blanco/Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants managed to acquire a fourth starter for this year and potentially through the 2019 season, the type of pitching project their coaching staff should be thrilled to take on. But the cost is fairly steep, and if Matt Duffy is still the player he was last season, the Rays did quite well in the exchange.

Matt Moore has been something of a tease for most of his major league career. The best pitching prospect in baseball entering the 2012 season, he has shown flashes of his ability but has never posted a FIP below 3.93 in his three healthy seasons (including 2016). He missed 2014 due to Tommy John surgery and wasn't healthy for most of last season, either. His velocity is back, but whereas before his injuries he was missing bats with all three pitches, he's now missing fewer bats across the board with all his offerings. That has made his fastball particularly vulnerable -- 16 of the 20 homers he has allowed have come on fastballs.