SF Giants-Cleveland: Five Potential Francisco Lindor Trades

Five Potential SF Giants-Cleveland Trades:
Brandon Belt (pay $10 million), Will Wilson, Seth Corry for Francisco Lindor

This is perhaps the least exciting, but also, the most Cleveland proposal of this group. Brandon Belt turns an obvious weakness at DH and first base into an immediate strength for just a $5 million salary if the Giants retain $10 million. Seth Corry remains the Giants highest ranked pitching prospect and Will Wilson is considered a top-ten prospect in the organization by many pundits.

If they liked Wilson out of the draft, he was the 15th overall pick in 2019, then they might be especially intrigued by the prospect of bringing him into the fold. A middle-infielder without any obvious plus tools, Wilson has long been a favorite of statistical models and projects as above-average across the board. He may not be an obvious star, but has a path to becoming an All-Star.

Corry is a high-upside southpaw who’s racked up strikeouts at every stage of his career. A third-round pick in the 2017 draft out of high school, he finally found consistent control last year in his first taste of full-season ball. In the South Atlantic League, Corry put up one of the most dominant seasons in recent history, striking out nearly 13 batters per nine innings, while holding opponents to a 1.76 ERA.

If Cleveland is comfortable with the shortstop options on the free-agent or trade market, they could very easily envision themselves finding a competent replacement for Lindor on defense, slot Belt into his spot in the lineup, and acquire a pair of interesting prospects. On the flip side, neither Wilson nor Corry are likely to contribute for the Giants until probably 2022 or 2023 and are by no means considered transcendent type prospects. While replacing Belt obviously wouldn’t be easy, the team already has some competent options under team control like Darin Ruf and Wilmer Flores.