The Athletic reporter Tim Kawakami has a perfect fit for Mike Trout: the San Francisco Giants. It remains a long shot to see Trout in any uniform other than the one he's always worn, but Kawakami believes the time is now for the Giants to strike and that Trout would mesh nicely with the team.
For one thing, Kawakami notes that now's the perfect time for a plethora of reasons. One, the superstar has been plagued by injuries, making him less untouchable than he was before.
Two, the Los Angeles Angels are bad yet again and owe Trout a lot of money. Three, there's no guarantee that Trout ever becomes the Mike Trout he once was. That makes him less desirable for the Angels. It also makes him an easier target for the Giants.
Trout would be a major risk for any team that tries to trade him. He's still owed over $200 million. He's an injury risk now. The contract Trout is under is still lengthy. All of that provides the Giants, in this scenario, with a lot of risk and gives them negotiating power to actually land the outfielder.
Why Mike Trout fits with the Giants
MLB insider Tim Kawakami believes the San Francisco Giants are desperate for a high-caliber player. They have talent, both in the rotation and in the lineup, but no one that casual fans might consider a true superstar.
Adding Trout would give them that. He's a presence in the lineup that strikes fear into pitchers and makes fans hold their breath. Kawakami noted what the New York Yankees did to them with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in their recent series.
When those players came up, all eyes went to them and they delivered. The Giants haven't had someone like that on their team in a very long time. They've tried and failed to sign players of that caliber (Judge, Carlos Correa, Shohei Ohtani).
Trading for Trout would remove the bidding war. There would be no New York Yankees to swoop in and offer more than they did for Judge. The Los Angeles Dodgers couldn't give a historic offer like they did with Ohtani. It would cost the Giants assets, but it would be the easiest way to ensure they land a superstar that they've missed since Buster Posey retired in 2021.