San Francisco Giants: Denard Span Should be the First to Go

With Denard Span heating up at the plate, now is the best time for the San Francisco Giants to move the leadoff hitter to a contending team and start the rebuild.

Let me start off by saying that I love Denard Span. I’ve always been a huge fan of his game and think he brings a lot to a team.

But the 33-year-olds production has certainly tailed off the past two seasons. Not only that, but he seems to be a lot more fragile at this point in his career.

After hitting .302 in 610 at-bats for the Washington Nationals in 2014, Span has gone downhill. He still managed to hit .301 with the Nationals in 2015, but played in just 61 games.

Still, the Giants signed him to a big contract before the 2016 season. He hit just .266 in 572 at-bats, but did hit the most homers in his career with 11.

This year he’s been injured and unproductive for the most part.

A recent hot streak has brought his season average up to a respectable .282. That’s why I think the San Francisco Giants should look to move him now.

After an 8-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals on June 13 Span was hitting just .253. He’s gone 19-50 (.380) at the plate since.

Even with that type of production, it hasn’t helped the San Francisco Giants win.

You probably aren’t going to get a better two weeks of production from Span this year. I still think he has the ability to help out a contender who is need of some speed at the top of the lineup.

He only has 3 stolen bases on the year, but they’ve all come during that two week stretch. Now that he’s healthy I think we’ll see him get back to running more frequently. He’s stolen double-digit bases five years in a row.

More from Around the Foghorn

• SF Giants: The closer of the present and future has arrived
• BOGO 50% off on San Francisco Giants shirts at BreakingT
• SF Giants: Brandon Belt hits IL with fractured thumb
• SF Giants: 2021 team is approaching franchise milestone
• SF Giants: Brandon Belt is a qualifying offer candidate

The problem with Span is that he’s still owed around $6 million this year, $11 million the next and then there is a $4 million buyout in 2019.

Any team wanting Span would have to fork out some cash for a diminishing talent.

As for the San Francisco Giants, I’m not as concerned with getting a good prospect back in deal for Span.

I want them to move Span and as much money as they can in order to open up some room in the outfield.

The San Francisco Giants have several outfield prospects who need a look in the big leagues.

Right now the outfield is crowded because you have to put Span in the lineup if he’s healthy. But if the San Francisco Giants can trade him it opens up the youth movement even more.

Next: Who is Safe if the San Francisco Giants Decide to Blow it Up?

The San Francisco Giants need to capitalize on this recent surge from Span and trade him to open up a spot in the outfield for a young prospect.