As the trade deadline looms a week away, the Giants are in a position to contend for a playoff spot. The Giants are 54-43 and are tied for second in the National League West division standings. Along with the Diamondbacks, they hold the first wild card spot in the NL by 1.5 games, with a high chance of seeing the diamond during the postseason.
Despite lots of success throughout the season, the team may seek to fill some holes in the roster caused by injuries and a lack of depth.
With both Brandon Crawford and Thairo Estrada on the injured list, the Giants middle infield situation is at the lowest point it’s been all season. While they have turned to rookies such as Casey Schmitt, David Villar and Brett Wisely in hopes to fill this void, the Giants may look to turn to the market to improve their depth.
A team the Giants may look into is the St. Louis Cardinals.
With the Cardinals looking to build up their 2024 squad due to a lackluster 2023 season, they may look to sell off pending free agents, one of which is Paul DeJong. A former All-Star in 2019, DeJong’s role was continuously altered prior to the season, as the 29-year-old moved between the bench and bounced around the minors.
In his 2023 campaign, he has slashed .238/.305/.426 with 12 home runs and 30 RBIs: With his versatility in the infield, Dejong would fulfill the help sought by the Giants’ middle infield.
Other viable options for an injury-fraught Giants team include DeJong’s teammates Tommy Edman and Brendan Donovan, though their availability remains a question with years of team control remaining on their respective contracts. The Giants may also look for a possible reunion with former Giant and current Minnesota Twin Donovan Solano, or even White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, despite the down season.
Another position the Giants may look to upgrade is starting pitching. With Logan Webb and Alex Cobb solidified at the top of the rotation, the rest of the rotation remains somewhat of a question mark. Along with middle infielders, the Cardinals also have pitching rentals to offer in Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty. Other options include a pair of Chicago pitchers who are former Aall-Sstars: White Sox’s Lucas Giolito and Cubs’ Marcus Stroman.
With the Giants solidified in the catcher’s spot with Patrick Bailey and Blake Sabol, the Giants may finally move on from their former number two overall pick, Joey Bart. This year in the majors, in just 26 games, he’s slashing .231/.286/.295 with a 63 wRC+, eventually being optioned to Triple-A over a month ago. With Bart’s future uncertain, the 26-year-old may no longer be in a Giants uniform come Aug. 1.
One player to keep an eye out for is the current star of the Los Angeles Angels and two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani. With the Giants lacking a solidified fifth starting pitcher and the longing for a superstar, the Giants may look to make a huge splash in pursuit for a playoff spot.
However, this addition — should it happen — may come at a cost, one that potentially includes top prospects such as Kyle Harrison, Marco Luciano and Carson Whisenhunt. If any of these three are untouchable, other trade pieces may include prospects already in the big leagues, such as Luis Matos and Casey Schmitt.
The major risk factor with Ohtani being uncertainty on if he re-signs in the offseason, causing debate on whether or not it’s best to take the long-term risk for the former MVP.
Starting the second half of the season with a five-game winning streak, the Giants hope to build off the success for the remainder of the season. With various places on the roster that could use an upgrade, the Giants could look to be very active in the trade market.
