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The San Francisco Giants' rollercoaster start to the season leaves many wondering where they will go from here. Do they buy, retool, or all-out rebuild? Thankfully, there are enough valuable, yet expendable pieces for the Giants to move around to remain in playoff contention beyond this season. How they approach the trade deadline could chart their course for the foreseeable future. One thing is almost certain: The team you see now won't be the same come August. With that said, here are the five most likely players the Giants could use as trade bait at the deadline.
Evan Longoria
The long-time Tampa Bay Rays third baseman has found a home in San Francisco for the past four seasons. In the twilight of his career, will year five be Evan Longoria's last in San Francisco? Coming back from injury, he has proven he can still be effective and would be a good addition to other teams vying for depth in their batting order. With 2023 being his final season under contract, now is the time to pull the trigger on Longoria if they wish to receive a maximum return.
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Joey Bart
Joey Bart was a train that started out the first week of the season full steam, but it didn't take long for that train to derail and shatter into a million pieces in a ravine. This may force the Giants' hand to sell the 26-year-old while his trade value is still high. Bart's average of .165, and his unheard of 43 strikeouts in 79 at-bats are enough for any club to grimace over. It's been so bad, it's left many to wonder if he's MLB material.
"At what point do the #sfgiants admit Joey Bart is a bust" - @ Hugo Stiglitz
At the quarter-mark of the season, the San Francisco Giants still have trade value with their first-year catcher. His high age as a rookie means the clock is ticking. It's very possible they could find a team thin on catching prospects willing to take a chance on Bart. The question is, what would that price be?
Jake McGee
McGee is another player nearing his MLB swan song and could be on the move come August. The 35-year-old hurler was a cornerstone closer for the Giants last season. However, he began exhibiting signs of age toward the tail end of the 2021 campaign.
This season, he's regressed further, not just with injuries, but with a noticeable drop in his pitch efficacy. With McGee being a one-dimensional gas-hurling fastball pitcher, his 97-98 mph average has dipped to a consistent 93-94 in 2022. That wouldn't be such a cause for concern if he had more pitches to work with, but he doesn't. With the likes of their shiny new toy in Camilio Duval taking on the bulk of their late innings bullpen duties, the 35-year-old may be on his way out.
Austin Slater
The San Francisco Giants boast a lot of Slater's baseball IQ and all-around ability, so much so that they may have doomed him from the start. There's no denying he's made intricate contributions to the team's platoon and depth squad, but by now, they expect Slater to factor more frequently into the starting lineup. Nonetheless, he's still a valuable player, and that value could come into play by the trade deadline.
Thairo Estrada
As much as I like Thairo and what he brings to the table, he, among others on this list, could be in play if the San Francisco Giants were to make a big splash at the deadline (Soto anybody?). His .278 batting average in his first full big-league season can be an attractive secondary asset to many teams, especially since it shows a consistent continuation of his .272 average last season. For a late-bloomer, the 26-year-old shows a lot of promise.
The San Francisco Giants Looming Decisions
With mass speculation circulating about where some big bats may end up come August, the San Francisco Giants are in the thick of the conversation. You need look no further than your local MLB news station to see what's swirling about the mill. The Washington Nationals and New York Yankees are among the teams with question marks heading into the deadline.
"Juan Soto trade rumors: Nationals may be 'motivated' to trade outfielder" - @ Sporting News MLB
San Francisco's prospect pool is in as much flux as the stock market, with question marks throughout their system. A big splash would alter that trajectory. Whether or not they make some key additions or subtractions, it's likely that the team you see on the field now is a much different team next season.
