The Giants may not have much mystery left in front of the trade deadline, and that’s exactly why Luis Arraez has become the name that matters most.
San Francisco is too far back to pretend otherwise. The club is nearly 20 games out in the National League West and almost 10 games from the final NL Wild Card spot.
The race is over, and the front office knows it. That puts president of baseball operations Buster Posey and his staff in position to sell, with the bigger question being how aggressive they want to get.
Arraez, though, feels like the move they have to make.
He has made it clear he likes being in San Francisco and doesn’t want to leave. In another setting, the Giants might be thinking about keeping him around longer. But with the three-time batting champion putting together a strong season and no commitment beyond this year, the best play is to move him for the strongest package they can land.
That view was sharpened this week when the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser said on KNBR that it would be “malpractice” if the Giants didn’t make a deal.
The logic is easy to see. Arraez is on a one-year, $12 million contract, which makes him far easier to move than some of the other names that could be available. Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Champan all carry much bigger contracts, and that kind of money only complicates trade talks, especially with no certainty yet about the shape of a labor agreement next year.
Arraez is also giving teams plenty to want. He’s hitting .328/.368/.455 with four home runs and 35 RBI, and he’s on track to post an OPS of .800 or better for the third time in his career. That kind of production plays anywhere.
There’s more to his value now than just the bat, too. The Padres shifted him to first base because he was a defensive liability at second, but after working with Giants infield coach Ron Washington, Arraez has turned himself into one of the NL’s best second basemen. He has taken to the position so well that he wants to stay there, whether that’s in San Francisco or elsewhere.
That combination of elite contact skills, improved defense and a manageable contract could bring back a serious return. Even without team control beyond this season, Arraez could still fetch two or three young players.
And if that’s the kind of haul on the table, the Giants can’t afford to walk away from it.
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Carrillos appeal is obvious enough: a hard-throwing profile with strikeout ability, but also the kind of control issues that have followed him around. San Francisco has already been trying similar low-risk bets, including its recent claim of Eric Cerantola off waivers, and the pattern suggests the front office is still sorting through options rather than settling on answers. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Fans Suddenly Have A Real Reason To Worry About Jung Hoo Lee
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For San Francisco, the calculus is bigger than a simple deadline sell-or-keep call. The team is not actively shopping Lee, but an exceptional offer could still change the equation, and any move would come with broader consequences after the organization spent the offseason trying to strengthen its foothold in the Korean market following its South Korea visit. Lee also has an opt-out after the 2027 season, which only adds another layer for any team thinking past this summer, and for now the Giants are left weighing whether the safest move is to hold steady or listen a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Willy Adames Finally Addressed What's Behind His Frustrating Giants First Half
Willy Adames has spent much of his first half with the Giants trying to find his rhythm at the plate while also managing something more physical behind the scenes. The shortstop acknowledged a lingering back problem has been part of the picture this season, and while he is not leaning on it as an excuse, it helps explain why his usual game has looked a little off at times.
Adames still has found ways to help San Francisco, including a grand slam on Friday and another home run the next day, but the back issue has also meant daily treatment just to stay loose. That routine cuts into the defensive work and extra practice he can do, leaving the Giants with a player who is still producing in bursts while trying to work through a frustrating stretch that has not gone away cleanly. [Read more 🡒]