The San Francisco Giants are heading toward the trade deadline as sellers, and Luis Arraez looks like the name most likely to move.
Robbie Ray is another player expected to be dealt, but Arraez appears to be the closest thing to a lock on this roster. The All-Star second baseman signed for $12 million on a one-year deal, and all signs point to him being moved this summer.
That possibility is getting more interesting for the Giants because the market around Arraez is heating up. According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, interest in the infielder is widespread, with “virtually every contender” showing some level of pursuit after what they described as an offensive resurgence and defensive revival at second base.
For San Francisco, that kind of demand matters. The more teams that enter the mix, the better the chance of a bidding war, and that could put the Giants in position to land a strong return for a rental player.
Arraez is exactly the sort of bat clubs chase this time of year. He’s affordable, he’s productive, and he can help a contender at second base right away. In a trade market where impact rentals are hard to find, he stands out.
His numbers back that up. Arraez is hitting .325 this season, only a few points behind MLB leader Otto Lopez, who is at .328. He also has 3.2 bWAR, 51 runs scored, 131 hits, 23 doubles, seven triples, four home runs, and 41 RBIs, along with a 25-walk to 20-strikeout ratio.
The underlying production is strong too. His .808 OPS is one of the best of his career, and his 129 OPS+ is the highest it has been in his eight-year MLB career.
If a contender has a hole at second base, or can shift its current second baseman elsewhere to improve the rest of the lineup, Arraez makes a lot of sense. With significant interest already building, the Giants have a real chance to turn the $12 million former batting title champion into a meaningful return before the August 3 MLB trade deadline.
In Other News...
Former Giants Catcher Eric Haase Quickly Finds His Next Opportunity
Eric Haases next stop came quickly after his time with the Giants ended, as the White Sox signed the veteran catcher to a minor league deal and sent him to Triple-A Charlotte. Haase had been in San Franciscos organization just long enough to give the club some experienced catching depth, appearing in 29 games before his release opened the door for a new opportunity.
Chicagos move comes with a clear purpose after an injury thinned out its catching group, and Haase gives the White Sox a familiar, ready-made option to keep in the system. The depth chart could still shift again depending on what else the market offers, but for now Haase is back in the mix and back on a path that could bring him another look in the majors. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Chapmans Return Just Raised The Giants Biggest Deadline Question
Matt Chapman has been out since late June, but his expected return this weekend arrives at exactly the wrong time for a Giants front office trying to sort out the trade deadline. A healthy Chapman changes the look of San Franciscos infield in a hurry, and it also puts a familiar name back into the middle of the clubs biggest roster decision, with the deadline looming and his contract always part of the conversation.
For the Giants, the next few games could tell them plenty about whether Chapman still looks like a player they want to keep anchored at third or one who might draw interest from a club chasing help at the hot corner. His comeback also gives San Francisco one more chance to see how he moves and swings after the abdominal injury, which matters even more with the team still weighing what its infield picture should look like going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Injury Crisis Could Pull Giants Into A Stunning Deadline Call
The Yankees outfield injuries have created a deadline ripple that could reach San Francisco, where the Giants suddenly find themselves mentioned in the kind of trade chatter that tends to surface when a contender gets desperate for help. Cody Bellinger is among the key names sidelined, and the uncertainty around New Yorks roster has opened the door to speculation about whether the Yankees will have to do more than patch things together before the deadline.
For the Giants, the intrigue is less about anything official and more about how quickly a hot market can turn into a staring contest between front offices. San Francisco has been pulled into mock scenarios involving major talent and even bigger financial commitments, but nothing has been reported as a real deal. Still, when a team like the Yankees starts looking at every possible way to cover an outfield shortage, the Giants are the sort of club that can get dragged into the conversation whether they asked for it or not. [Read more 🡒]