The Giants have been floating the possibility of moving some of their biggest contracts, but getting out from under those deals may come with a cost that stings even more.
Once word surfaced that San Francisco was open to trading Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers, it was obvious the club would likely have to absorb money to make anything happen. But the latest chatter suggests that might not be enough. In a recent MLB Trade Rumors piece, Charlie Wright noted that rival scouts have been checking in on Heliot Ramos and Casey Schmitt, and that interest could change the equation.
Wright wrote: “The price for Ramos or Schmitt might include taking on one of the Giants’ underwater contracts.” That’s only speculation, and there’s no reporting right now saying the Giants are actually planning to go that route. Still, if San Francisco gets serious about moving one of its expensive veterans, attaching a younger player might be the only way to get a deal across the finish line.
The Yankees stand out as one possible fit. They could use help in the outfield, especially with Aaron Judge’s status unclear, and Ramos would make sense for them.
Chapman could also fill a need in New York, since the Yankees could use an upgrade at third base. In theory, that kind of match could give the Giants a path to unloading money.
In practice, though, Chapman’s contract makes that tough. He’s owed a lot, he has a no-trade clause, and he’s injured right now, even if he is expected back fairly soon. That combination makes any deal complicated.
The same problem follows the Giants’ other expensive commitments. Adames is owed a huge amount and has been so bad that it’s difficult to imagine another club wanting to take him on. Schmitt might make a deal a little more appealing, but probably not enough to make Adames’ contract easy to swallow.
Devers looks like the simplest name to keep around. He’s streaky, but when he gets hot he can carry a lineup, and his contract is so heavy that few teams would want to touch it anyway.
If the Giants were truly desperate, they could probably find a way to move one of these contracts. But they don’t appear to be there yet.
For now, the more likely outcome is that the big deals stay put, and players like Schmitt and Ramos aren’t used as the price of dumping an underperforming veteran. That kind of move would hurt, and maybe that’s exactly why it remains unlikely.
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