Buster Posey's take on Casey Schmitt's unclear future could cement slugger's SF Giants exit

For as bad as 2026 was for the SF Giants, it was not devoid of any positive developments. Casey Schmitt had a really good year for San Francisco that was ultimately cut short by his knee injury, but it still seems like Buster Posey and the front office aren’t all that sure on how to utilize him.

During the end-of-season press conference earlier this week, Posey was asked about what position Schmitt will play next year and he said the following:

“I don’t think that there’s anything set in stone at this point. He showed that he could hold his own in left field. You look at the metrics, he grades out better at third than anywhere else. We’ve got arguably the best third baseman in the game there defensively there right now. Probably look at second a little bit, but that’s gonna be a decision for another day.”

The most obvious solution is to put him at second base. Luis Arraez is no longer in the picture after being traded and Schmitt played quite a bit of second base during the 2025 season so he proved he can handle that position as well.

Yet, the noncommittal answer from Posey makes one feel like the Giants are still not sure how to use Schmitt. He hit quite well in 2026, slashing .271/.301/.483 with 21 home runs and 55 runs batted in. That OBP and his low walk rate are glaring warning signs though and there’s a decent chance the front office is mulling whether it should sell high on him especially if they can get a pitcher in return for him.

I’ve written a few times about how the Seattle Mariners make a ton of sense as a potential trade destination for Schmitt. They have several starters they may be willing to trade and a Schmitt-for-Emerson Hancock kind of trade would solve issues for both teams since San Francisco is in desperate need of pitching and Seattle is in desperate need of offense.

Trading Casey Schmitt may be smart way for Giants to get a pitcher

Schmitt’s lack of a clear future with the Giants only makes the chance of a trade seem more likely even though he proved that he can be a really solid player in 2026 and the Giants would definitely be taking a risk by trading him.

It’s not like their other options at second base are sure things. Marcelo Mayer would probably be the favorite for that role but he has struggled at the big league level in his career and dealt with injuries. Christian Koss might be the next best option and while he improved over the course of 2026, he is probably better suited for a bench role.

Maybe the Giants plan to keep Schmitt around, but he’s one of their more attractive trade chips and if they do not see a long-term future for him especially with Matt Chapman blocking him at third then trading him might be their best option if they can get a quality arm in return.

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