The San Francisco Giants are expected to be sellers at this year’s trade deadline, and that puts a few familiar names into the conversation. Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray stand out as rental pieces, while Heliot Ramos could draw legitimate interest. There’s also the possibility that the Giants listen on some of their pricier veterans.
But when it comes to Rafael Devers, MLB insider Andy McCullough of The Athletic sees almost no path to a deal.
“I would be absolutely shocked - shocked! - if the Giants could move Devers' contract,” McCullough writes.
That contract is the whole issue. Devers is in the middle of a 10-year, $313.5 million deal that runs through the 2033 season, and that kind of commitment makes trade talks difficult from the start. Even with Devers producing a solid .796 OPS this season after a very slow start, the Giants would have a hard time finding a team willing to absorb that money.
If another club were to get involved, it would likely want San Francisco to cover part of the contract. And if the Giants somehow found a team willing to take on the full deal, the return probably wouldn’t be much.
That leaves the Giants in a familiar spot: Devers is probably staying put unless a desperate team surfaces with a very specific need. He’d be a strong trade target if the contract weren’t so massive, especially for a player who is either limited to DH duty or viewed as a shaky defensive first baseman.
For now, though, the reality is simple. Devers is a Giant, and McCullough would be “shocked” if that changes.
In Other News...
Former Giants Catcher Eric Haase Quickly Finds His Next Opportunity
Eric Haase has already found a new landing spot after his brief run with the Giants ended, with the White Sox signing the veteran catcher to a minor league contract and sending him to Triple-A Charlotte. San Francisco had just released Haase after he appeared in 29 games this season, and now he moves on as Chicago looks to bolster its organizational catching depth.
The timing makes sense for the White Sox, who needed another experienced option behind the plate after Kyle Teel went down with a high ankle sprain and Edgar Quero was recalled. Haase gives them a familiar stopgap in the system for now, while the market for catching help still includes a few bigger names if Chicago decides it needs to keep shopping. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Got The Luis Arraez Update Fans Needed
Luis Arraez is suddenly one of the more intriguing names on the market as the deadline approaches, and the Giants appear positioned to take advantage. Reports from Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic say multiple contending teams have shown strong interest in the All-Star second baseman, a player whose bat and contact skills make him a useful rental for clubs trying to shore up the middle of the infield.
For San Francisco, the appeal is simple: Arraez has been productive enough to draw real attention, and that should give the front office a chance to ask for a meaningful return. The only question now is how far the market can be pushed before August 3, and whether the Giants can turn that interest into the kind of package that makes moving a player of Arraezs caliber worth it. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Outfielder Suffers Another Alarming Setback In Frustrating First Season
Harrison Baders first season with the Giants has already been defined by stop-and-start frustration, and the latest turn only deepens it. After missing two months with plantar fasciitis, the outfielder had been trying to work back into rhythm following a previous hamstring aggravation, eventually getting into 30 games with a .170 batting average before another setback hit the same foot.
The Giants said Bader is now undergoing an MRI to determine the severity of the new injury, leaving his status uncertain again as the club waits for more clarity. What had been a routine check on a lingering foot issue has become something more complicated, and for a player who has spent much of the season on the injured list, the timing could hardly be worse. [Read more 🡒]