Major League Baseball

Giants acquire lefty reliever Lopez from Pirates

Published Jul. 31, 2010 9:51 p.m. ET

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Giants general manager Brian Sabean spoke to more than 20 teams about 50-plus players leading up to Saturday's trade deadline.

In the end, San Francisco fulfilled two of its biggest needs.

The Giants bolstered their thin bullpen with a pair of swaps Saturday, including the key acquisition of Javier Lopez from the Pittsburgh Pirates to get the left-handed reliever they desperately sought.

''That's our acute need,'' Sabean said after San Francisco's 2-1 win over the Dodgers. ''It was obvious we needed to make something happen to strengthen the bullpen.''

The Giants, who have missed the playoffs the past six seasons, began the day 2 1/2 games back of the first-place San Diego Padres in the NL West. Sabean believes he has a playoff club, though catching the Padres will be tough.

Both San Diego and the Dodgers were busy making deals Saturday, too.

''It's the same thing that's transpired the whole year: We're all trying to slow down San Diego,'' Sabean said. ''It's going to be a rough two months. These games take on a playoff gravity. ... This is a very stout group. These guys are game. They're in a position now where they really control their own destiny. And they know it's not going to be easy.''

Getting Lopez in uniform Sunday should provide an immediate lift. Manager Bruce Bochy is ready to get him on the mound.

Injured Giants lefty relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Dan Runzler aren't expected to return from the disabled list until at least the third week of August - a problem that forced starter Jonathan Sanchez into duty out of the bullpen Friday night.

San Francisco also acquired righty reliever Ramon Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox for pitching prospect Daniel Turpen - and general manager Brian Sabean was close to adding another reliever but didn't make a third deal before the trade deadline.

Lopez was set to get to San Francisco in time for the Giants' series finale with the rival Dodgers. Ramirez likely will join the Giants on Tuesday at Colorado.

Sabean was unwilling to trade Sanchez or fellow lefty starter Madison Bumgarner, the team's 10th overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft.

''We couldn't cover the loss of one of those pitchers to catch San Diego,'' Sabean said. ''It was a quandary.''

San Francisco is sending right-hander Joe Martinez and outfielder John Bowker to the Pirates.

The 33-year-old Lopez is 2-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 50 appearances and 38 2-3 innings this season.

Many deals Saturday were completed right up to the wire, the Giants not excluded.

''The long and short of the process this year, it was maybe as difficult or as time consuming to get any deal done because of the shortage of talent and the relative shortage in supply,'' Sabean said.

Lopez is be under the Giants' control through the 2011 campaign.

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