The Giants finally started moving on Monday, and if Buster Posey was ever tempted to coast, that option is gone now.
San Francisco reportedly sent second baseman Luis Arraez and right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian to the Philadelphia Phillies for right-handed pitcher Ramon Marquez and reliever Marty Gair, coming on the heels of last night’s deal that sent Tyler Mahle to the Atlanta Braves. After a quiet stretch leading into the deadline, the Giants are suddenly making noise.
On paper, the Arraez deal looks like a sensible one for San Francisco. Arraez was going to be a free agent after the season, so the Giants had a clear reason to move him, and they’re bringing back two young pitchers who at least give the organization something to work with.
But one trade shouldn’t be the end of the conversation. Robbie Ray is still sitting there as a trade chip, and the Giants already have an idea of the kind of return they can get for him. It may not be a huge haul, but pitching always finds a market, and the closer it gets to the 3 PM PST deadline, the more pressure other clubs feel to act.
There’s also a case for San Francisco to keep pushing beyond the obvious names. The Giants are not expected to move Jung Hoo Lee or Logan Webb, and dealing the contracts of Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, and Rafael Devers would be difficult. Even so, there are still players who make sense as trade candidates.
Heliot Ramos stands out as one of them. He’s a right-handed bat, he was an All-Star, and teams looking for offense could call.
The Giants also have some intriguing outfield options on the way, which makes this the kind of moment when moving Ramos could make sense. Because he remains under team control beyond this year, San Francisco should be able to land two or three prospects in return.
The bullpen should be part of the discussion, too. JT Brubaker and Sam Hentges are both set to become free agents after this season, and if the Giants are going to let them walk anyway, there’s little reason to keep them around for the rest of a lost year.
That’s the bigger point here: this is no time for hesitation. The Giants have had a rough season, and the deadline gives Posey a chance to reshape the roster and bring in players who might matter later.
After the Arraez trade, the work still isn’t done. Posey has to keep pressing.
In Other News...
Giants Just Sent A Clear Message About What Comes Next
The Giants made an early-summer pitching shuffle by moving Tyler Mahle to Atlanta and bringing back right-handed reliever Anthony Molina, a deal that fits the kind of deadline posture the front office has been signaling. Mahles time in San Francisco was uneven, but the team had started to see him settle in a bit more as the season went along, which made his departure notable even in a market where clubs are constantly chasing bullpen help and roster flexibility.
Molina gives San Francisco another arm to sort through as the deadline approaches, and the move suggests the Giants are not treating this as a one-and-done swap. There is still more activity expected before the cutoff, and this trade may be the clearest indication yet that the Giants are willing to keep reshaping the staff if it helps them cover innings now and keep options open for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Finally Have A Willy Adames Trade Opening To Watch
The Giants have spent the offseason listening on Willy Adames even after committing to him on a long-term deal, but the market has not exactly come roaring in. For a player with a hefty contract and a reputation that should play well at shortstop, San Francisco has had to wait for the right club to line up both the need and the willingness to take on the commitment.
One possible opening is in Boston, where the Red Sox are still looking for help at shortstop. If they cannot get what they want elsewhere, Adames could become a name to monitor, though any deal would still have to clear a few obvious hurdles for the Giants to move him at all. His no-trade clause gives him leverage, and the obligation on his contract runs deep enough to make any conversation more complicated than a simple swap of needs. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Gausman Trade Just Set The Robbie Ray Deadline Bar
Kevin Gausmans move from Toronto to the Chicago Cubs has already given the pitching market a new reference point, and it comes with a familiar name for Giants fans. The right-hander, who previously spent time in San Francisco, was dealt in the final season of his Blue Jays contract for two prospects, a reminder that contenders will part with young talent for a proven arm when the timing lines up.
For the Giants, the deal naturally shifts the conversation to Robbie Ray and what his own market might look like if they decide to move him. San Francisco has already dipped into that trade lane recently with the acquisition of reliever Anthony Molina, so the front office knows how quickly deadlines can turn into roster shuffles. Gausmans return is the kind of benchmark that can shape expectations, even if the Giants still have to decide how far they want to push the idea. [Read more 🡒]