The Giants have stumbled into a useful sort of problem in the middle infield. Matt Chapman is dealing with an abdominal injury, Willy Adames has a back issue, and San Francisco may have a chance to see what the roster looks like if both veterans are out of the picture for a while.
That matters because the front office is already open to trade talks on both players before the August 3 deadline. The Giants spent heavily to build the left side of the infield and bring in veteran leadership, but the production has not matched the price tag.
Chapman is slashing .235/.324/.368 with seven home runs and 42 runs batted in. His glove still carries real value, but the bat has not delivered what the Giants were after. Casey Schmitt looks like a ready-made option if Chapman is moved.
Adames has posted a .231/.275/.430 line with 14 homers and 32 runs batted in. His defense has been below standard, and the contract is a massive commitment, with the Giants on the hook through 2031.
That is why an IL stint for both players would make some sense beyond the injury concern itself. It would give the Giants a preview of a different infield, with Schmitt at third base and Christian Koss at shortstop, and let the team see how the group functions without its pricier veterans.
Moving either player won’t be simple. Both have no-trade clauses, and both are tied to significant money. That means San Francisco may have to cover part of a contract or absorb an unwanted deal in return to make something work.
Even then, it would not be surprising if both Chapman and Adames are still wearing Giants uniforms after the deadline. The hurdles are real, and finding the right trade partner may prove too difficult in a month’s time.
Still, these injuries could end up giving the Giants something valuable: information. If the lineup looks better, or even catches fire, that could push the front office toward a bigger move.
If not, there is always the offseason. For now, the team at least has a chance to find out what life without them might look like.
In Other News...
Luis Arraez Is Already Being Tied To One Trade Landing Spot
Luis Arraez has only been a Giant for a short stretch, but his name is already surfacing as one to watch when the trade deadline chatter heats up. San Francisco is widely expected to be in seller mode, and players on expiring contracts tend to draw attention quickly, especially someone like Arraez, whose game has remained as steady as ever while also showing improvement with the glove.
ESPNs David Schoenfield floated the Texas Rangers as a logical place to watch, which says plenty about where the market could go if the Giants decide to move him. Arraez has been productive enough to fit a contenders lineup, and Texas has been searching for stability at second base, so the fit makes sense on paper even if nothing is close to finalized. [Read more 🡒]
Heliot Ramos Just Forced A Giants Outfield Conversation Again
Heliot Ramos is back in the Giants lineup after a six-week absence with a right quad strain, and the early signs have been encouraging. Following a seven-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento, he returned to the big club and wasted little time making an impact, adding power and run production in his first few games back.
His return has also forced another look at the outfield mix, with the Giants working Ramos into right field while Jung Hoo Lee remains in center. For a club trying to settle on the best alignment, Ramos bat makes the conversation harder to ignore, and the next few games should tell a lot about how permanent this arrangement might become. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Fans May Be Stuck With Devers Longer Than Expected
When the Giants brought in Rafael Devers from the Red Sox last year, they took on far more than just a middle-of-the-order bat. They also inherited a contract that runs through 2033, which means this is the kind of move that can shape the roster long after the headlines fade. Devers has still given San Francisco production this season, hitting .242 with 15 home runs and 44 RBIs, but the fit has already become a conversation piece around the league.
That matters because the Giants may not be done with the Devers discussion yet. Even with the deadline approaching, any attempt to move him would have to navigate the reality of a deal that can look unwieldy to other clubs, especially for a player who will be in his mid-30s by the end of it. For a team trying to balance present value with future flexibility, Devers remains both an asset and a complication, and it is not hard to see why the market could be more complicated than the name alone suggests. [Read more 🡒]