Giants: Three options to replace Evan Longoria if traded

Free agency has not been kind to Mike Moustakas.

He did not receive the long-term contract he expected when he tested free agency for the first time after the 2017 season, and he was forced to settle for a short-term deal again last offseason.

Despite that, the left-handed hitter has proven to be a competent bat over the years. Since 2015, Moustakas has posted a .264/.325/.491 line for a 114 OPS+ across 2,544 plate appearances. For context, only Brandon Belt (118 OPS+) and Buster Posey (115 OPS+) have posted an OPS+ north of that 114 mark since 2015.

In 2019, Mike Yastrzemski (123 OPS+) was the only Giant to eclipse the 114 OPS+ threshold with a minimum of 300 plate appearances.

All this suggests that the Giants do not have enough quality bats capable of producing at an above-average level. Before acquiring Longoria, the Giants were seen as a speculative fit for Moustakas while they looked for an upgrade at third base.

Moustakas is not a free agent yet. He has an $11  million mutual option with the Milwaukee Brewers that will need to be sorted out. He will likely decline his side of the option thereby becoming a free agent.

In 2019, Moustakas earned his way onto the National League All-Star team as he swatted 35 home runs, drove in 87, and produced an .845 OPS. At only 31 years old, he could look to cash in on free agency one last time.

At the end of the season, Farhan Zaidi stated that he would look to add more power to the lineup, and Moustakas possesses the type of power that would play at any ballpark.

In addition to this, the power-hitting third baseman brings some nice versatility after adding second base to his resume with 47 games at the position in 2019. It stands to reason that he could also handle first base if needed, despite playing just four games there.

There should be plenty of interested suitors for Moustakas, but he certainly will not command as lucrative a contract as either Rendon or Donaldson. That might be an opportunity for the Giants to target an affordable alternative while much of the league will be focused on Rendon or Donaldson.

Beyond Anthony Rendon, Josh Donaldson, and Mike Moustakas, the free-agent options at third base thin quickly.

With that being said, Todd Frazier still brings modest value to the table. In 2019, he produced a .251/.329/.443 line across 499 plate appearances. In addition to that, he hit 21 home runs while driving in 67.

Offensively, he profiles similarly to Longoria in that he provides modest power while getting on base at a decent clip.

The similarities do not stop there. While Frazier is capable of playing first base and left field, he has proven to be adept with the glove at the hot corner while contributing 33 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) throughout his career. His glove is not on the same level as Longoria’s, but there would not be much of a drop-off, either.

So, if the Giants traded Longoria, they could essentially add a similar skill set by signing Frazier.

Frazier’s market and contract demands will be limited due to his age. The third baseman turns 34 before the start of the 2020 season, and free agency has not been kind to players on the wrong side of 30.

He just finished a two-year pact worth $17 million with the New York Mets, and that may not be a bad template for a second tour through free agency. The $8.5 million AAV from that contract is affordable enough for any team to absorb, but that still seems like it will be on the higher end of what teams would be willing to pay.

Given his age and level of productivity, any contract will carry limited long-term risk as he will likely not require a commitment beyond two seasons.

The Giants will be looking at players who can provide value without much risk, so Frazier could be a fit if the Giants found a way to unload Longoria.

In replacing Evan Longoria, there has to be at least one outside-the-box idea and Johan Camargo is that idea.

Camargo’s skill set fits the mold of the type of player Zaidi seeks in that he is versatile and gets on base at a healthy rate.

He has major league experience at every position with the exception of center field, catcher, and pitcher. However, his most experience at any one position is at third base, which is also his best position with the glove. Throughout his career, he has posted 5 DRS and a 6.9 Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), so the defensive metrics have a favorable opinion.

With the bat, Camargo has been a mixed bag in his three seasons at the major league level. From 2017-2018, he recorded a stout .281/.343/.455 line across 780 plate appearances.

However, his offensive production cratered in 2019. In 248 plate appearances, Camargo produced a .233/.279/.384 line, including only seven home runs and 32 RBI.

That resulted in the switch-hitter being demoted to Triple-A. It was not a surprise despite his solid production at the plate in the previous two years, and considering the fact that the Braves brought in Josh Donaldson on a one year, $23 million contract to hold down the fort.

This might be the perfect time for the Giants to look at Camargo as a buy-low candidate, especially since the Braves hope to bring back Donaldson on a longer-term deal. A move like that would push Camargo out of the Braves plans.

The 25-year-old is not yet eligible for arbitration, so he would come with the added appeal of team control and cost-effectiveness. However, the Braves will use this as leverage to improve any potential return he may bring.

If the San Francisco Giants decided to parlay Longoria’s bounce-back season into a trade, they would have plenty of options to choose from as potential replacements.

*Honorable mention: Maikel Franco, Matt Duffy, and Howie Kendrick.