The SF Giants are headed toward seller mode, and that opens the door to more than just the obvious names. Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray stand out because they’re both set to hit free agency, but if the club really wants to shake things up, there are other players who could suddenly find themselves on the move.
Some of them probably feel pretty secure right now. That may not last.
Heliot Ramos is one of the more intriguing possibilities. He’s back from injury and already flashing the power that made him an All-Star, but the rest of the package is a tougher sell.
His defense and baserunning have been issues, and that kind of right-handed pop can still draw interest from teams around MLB. With Victor Bericoto looking like a mini-version of Ramos right now, the Giants could decide they’re comfortable turning to him in the second half.
Logan Webb is the name that would stun people the most, and Buster Posey has already said the Giants have no plans to trade him. Maybe that’s the truth.
Maybe it’s a way to keep the pressure on and raise the price. Either way, it’s hard to completely shut the door after how ugly this season has been.
An ace like Webb is rare, and the return would be massive. Still, the impact of moving him on the clubhouse and the fan base would be impossible to ignore.
Casey Schmitt looks like a safer bet at first glance. He’s having a strong year and even has an All-Star case, but he’s not totally out of the woods if the Giants can’t find a market for Matt Chapman.
Schmitt has shown he can handle almost anywhere on the field and has produced at the plate no matter where he’s been placed. The low walk rate is the one caution flag, and San Francisco could decide this is the time to sell high before the numbers cool off.
Keaton Winn is another player who could be caught in the crossfire. He’s probably been the Giants’ best reliever this season, which says as much about the bullpen as it does about him.
Even so, Winn could fit as a legitimate sixth- or seventh-inning arm on a better staff. If the Giants are truly thinking long term, they may be willing to live with a few more blown leads now in exchange for building toward 2027 and beyond.
Then there’s Harrison Bader. He’s on the IL, hasn’t played especially well, and is under contract for next season, so he might assume he’s staying put.
But the Giants have too many outfielders already, and that could make him expendable. If they decide to trim the group, they may have to eat some money to get a deal done.
Outside of Webb, nothing would really qualify as a major surprise. The Giants have been bad enough that change feels inevitable, and that means a few players who think they’re safe could be packing their bags before long.
In Other News...
Giants Pitching Depth Concern Just Took Another Frustrating Turn
Wilkin Ramos is headed back to Triple-A Sacramento after clearing waivers, giving the Giants a way to keep the right-hander in the organization without using a major league roster spot. The move comes after his designation for assignment, and because he does not have enough service time to elect free agency, San Francisco can outright him and let him work to get back on track in the minors.
For a Giants club still trying to sort through pitching depth, the decision is another reminder of how quickly bullpen plans can change. Ramos was promoted to the big leagues in June for the first time, and the organization is now hoping the reset in Sacramento can help him regain form while keeping him available if the need arises again. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Got A Tough New Reality On Hayden Birdsong
Hayden Birdsong is already back in the Giants orbit, even if the right-hander is still a long way from a mound. Recovering from Tommy John surgery performed March 25, he is rehabbing at the clubs minor-league facility in Scottsdale and remains limited in what he can do, but the work has resumed in earnest as he tries to move past the elbow injury that ended his 2024 season.
Birdsong is not scheduled to throw until September, with plyoball work expected to begin in the next two to three weeks, so this is still the slow part of the process. Even so, he has kept a positive mindset about what comes next, and for the Giants the larger reality is simple: any hope of getting him back in the near term has to be measured against a rehab timeline that will test patience all over again. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Need Answers On Which Relievers Can Actually Be Trusted
The Giants have spent much of this season trying to patch together a bullpen that still looks far too familiar from a year ago. Injuries have pushed the front office to add a handful of pitchers, and a few minor trades have brought in fresh arms, but the overall picture has not changed much: there are still too many late-inning questions and not nearly enough reliable answers.
Dylan Smith has at least given them a competent look in a limited sample since coming over from the Tigers, and the search for usable depth continues to matter because the left side remains especially murky. Erik Miller may be the closest thing to a steady option there, but the Giants are still sorting through how much they can trust him, Matt Gage, and Sam Hentges, while Caleb Kilian and Keaton Winn look like the main names with a chance to fit into the longer-term solution. For a club that needs more than stopgaps, the next move may have to come from outside the obvious pool. [Read more 🡒]