The San Francisco Giants appear set to keep Jung Hoo Lee and shop Heliot Ramos instead, a development that could ripple well beyond the Bay Area.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Giants are telling teams that their right fielder is staying put while their left fielder could be moved. “The San Francisco Giants are telling teams that right fielder Jung Hoo Lee is staying, but they will move left fielder Heliot Ramos,” Nightengale reports.
That makes Ramos the more likely name to watch as the deadline approaches. The 26-year-old has posted a .738 OPS this season and has 0.7 bWAR in 66 games, though he also missed a chunk of the year because of injury. He remains under club control through the 2029 season, which only adds to his appeal.
For teams looking to add offense, especially from the right side, Ramos checks a lot of boxes. The Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Seattle Mariners are all mentioned as clubs that could have interest, since each could use more outfield help and more punch in the lineup. The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays could also get involved.
That kind of market could work in the Giants’ favor. Ramos is a controllable, young, right-handed hitter with some power, and in a thin crop of outfield trade options, he may stand as the best available. If several contenders decide they need the same player, San Francisco could be in position to drive the price up and land a strong return.
In Other News...
Phillies Just Got A Troubling Pitching Update Before The Deadline
The Phillies have spent much of the summer trying to patch together a roster that has been hit by injuries in the outfield and exposed by some uneven pitching depth. The concern now is less about finding another arm in theory and more about where it could possibly come from, especially with the backend of the rotation and the bullpen both looking like areas that need attention before the deadline.
Inside the organization, the picture is not especially comforting. Alex McFarlane is still viewed as a work in progress, and Gage Wood is being developed as a starter, which leaves Philadelphia with few obvious internal answers if it wants help in the late innings. With that in mind, the most realistic path may be to shop outside the system and add pitching before the deadline market gets even thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Linked To A Trade Idea That Would Frustrate Fans Fast
A proposed catcher swap has landed on the Phillies radar, and it is the kind of idea that would probably test the patience of a fan base that has bigger needs in mind. Bleacher Reports Zachary D. Rymer floated a deal that would send two pitching prospects to Minnesota for Ryan Jeffers, but the fit in Philadelphia looks awkward on its face because J.T. Realmuto is still the starter and the lineups more pressing holes sit elsewhere.
Catcher is more of a depth conversation for the Phillies right now, not a place to spend prospect capital unless the price is unusually light. Rafael Marchan is out for a while, Garrett Stubbs is not viewed as an emergency starter, and that does leave the club a little thin behind Realmuto, but the front office has more urgent work to do if it wants to add a right-handed bat and help in the outfield. In that context, a move like this feels less like a solution and more like a detour. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Fans Just Got A New Reason To Watch Zack Wheeler Closely
Zack Wheeler has given Phillies fans plenty to track this season beyond the usual start-day routine. The veteran right-hander is still dealing with the bigger questions that come with pitching deep into his mid-30s, and those questions now include how much longer he wants to keep going once his current deal runs out in 2027.
For a pitcher who has already built a strong case as one of the games best starters, the conversation is no longer just about innings and strikeouts. Wheeler is also weighing what a Hall of Fame case could look like if he keeps performing at this level, which gives every outing a little more meaning for a Phillies club that knows it is watching a special stretch of his career unfold. [Read more 🡒]