Which players should SF Giants pursue for big offseason trade?

The 2023 season is in its death throes, which means it’s just about time to start looking ahead to what promises to be the most important offseason for the San Francisco Giants since… well, the last one.

The Giants find themselves in an eerily similar predicament as they did a year ago, desperately needing an infusion of offense to bring some kind of consistency to a lineup that scares nobody. They had a golden opportunity to do just that last offseason, coming tantalizing close to landing a star addition. Instead, they ended up with two guys (Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger) who barely played, if they played at all, in 2022; the results have been about as you’d expect.

The team has found some success with its platoon- and matchup-heavy approach to building an offense, but manager Gabe Kapler took that approach to another level this year, never using the same lineup more than four times — resulting in an offense at the bottom of every major statistical category. Their approach seems to have run its course, and the Giants simply can’t call themselves serious contenders without some kind of consistency in their lineup.

They’ll be counting on guys like Patrick Bailey, Luis Matos and Marco Luciano to be everyday players next year, but they’ll still have holes to fill, and if this year proved anything, it’s that those holes can’t be filled with role players. They can try their luck in free agency, but that probably isn’t the route they’re going to take — both because this year’s crop of hitters is extremely top-heavy and because the Giants haven’t been able to attract a premier free agent hitter in decades.

Their best chance of adding an impact bat or two, then, is going to come on the trade market. President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has already signaled a willingness to part with some of the organization’s young pitching if the right deal were to come along.

But what players around baseball would work for the Giants in that scenario? You’d think they’d have to fall into one of two categories: young, controllable hitters with a history of success, or guys who may be older and/or impending free agents but are true difference-makers. If the Giants are willing to part with a Carson Whisenhunt, Mason Black or Hayden Birdsong, the return must be someone who could help propel them into contention immediately. And more importantly, someone who can excite what is quickly becoming an apathetic fan base.

With that in mind, here’s a list of a few players the Giants could target. Some are older, some are younger, some are pie-in-the-sky wishcasting, but they all would help bring consistency, excitement and production to a lineup that needs all of the above.

Mike Trout, Angels: Why not start big? During his press conference to announce his most recent injury was a season-ender, Trout refused to directly say that he wouldn’t request a trade this offseason, leaving a glimmer of hope for the rest of baseball that one of the greatest players in history might be willing to consider a move. And why wouldn’t he? The Angels are a disaster, Shohei Ohtani is probably gone, and Trout isn’t getting any younger.
He’d immediately fill two glaring holes for the Giants — a lack of star power, and a lack of actual power — and would be the centerpiece player the organization has lacked since Buster Posey retired. Trout, though, has veto power over any potential deal and may prefer an East Coast team that’s closer to contention. Plus, he’s become injury-prone, is on the wrong side of 30, and is still owed about $260 million over the next seven years. Still, it’s Mike freaking Trout. Chances are slim, but isn’t it fun to think about?

Juan Soto, Padres: The Padres reportedly plan to cut their payroll over the winter, which means there’s a chance they’d be willing to listen on Soto, who’s due to hit free agency in a year. There seems to be a misconception that he’s been a disappointment in San Diego, but Soto, who turns 25 in October, is a superstar in every sense of the word, a guy who’s on a Hall of Fame trajectory at his current pace. He is one of the true franchise players in MLB, someone who’d move the needle with a fanbase — exactly the kind of player the Giants need. 

A trade inside the NL West sure seems like a long shot, though. When the Nationals traded him last year, the Giants didn’t have the organizational quality or depth to come close to matching the Padres’ offer; that’s changed, and the Giants could tempt San Diego with a package that leads with Kyle Harrison and/or Marco Luciano. But Soto’s already turned down a $440 million contract from the Nationals, which would seem to indicate he’s hell-bent on hitting free agency, which he’ll do after next season. Would the Giants risk their best prospects on what could be a rental AND also, but more importantly, spend the necessary amount to keep him long-term?

Pete Alonso, Mets: The Mets are retooling, and it’s unclear whether they have their sights set on 2024 or 2025 for a return to contention. If it’s the latter, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Giants to check in on Alonso’s availability. One of the best pure power hitters in the game, Alonso would instantly make the middle of the Giants’ order more threatening. His age (turning 29 in December), position (1B, the most replaceable position in baseball), and contract status (a free agent after next year) may make his price, in both prospects and future dollars, more palatable than someone like Soto.
 
Anybody on the Reds: The Reds have a surplus of young, talented infield prospects and are short on starting pitching. The Giants seem to have a plethora of young starters. It’s a match! They may not be household names, but if the Giants strike out on adding a bigger piece on the trade market, a need-for-need trade for one of the Reds’ young players — like, say, East Bay native Christian Encarnacion-Strand — would make a lot of sense.
 
Paul Goldschmidt/Nolan Arenado, Cardinals: The Cardinals could look to further retool after a disastrous season, and both of these notorious Giant-killers would be perfect … uh, Giant-savers? There’s time to workshop that one. Regardless, both would be instant offensive upgrades, and while Goldschmidt would be a pure rental, Arenado still has a handful of years left at a reasonable rate for a player of his caliber. They may not fit into the Giants’ preferred age range or contract cost/status, but if the goal is to add an impact bat or two, they’d be intriguing options. The relative cost in prospects may not be as high as it would be four younger options, either.

Luis Robert, White Sox: Now we’re talking. There was the slightest possibility at the trade deadline that the Sox would listen on Robert, but after a disastrous season that may see them lose 100 games, Chicago may be more open to tearing everything down over the winter. Robert had a breakout year, and while he isn’t quite the same caliber of player as Soto, he’s only 26 and under team control for an insanely reasonable rate through 2027 — virtually unheard of for a young power hitter of his caliber. That means the price for him is going to be astronomical, yes, but of all the players on this list, he’s potentially most worth the cost. He’s exactly what the Giants need in so many ways.