3 of the best trades the SF Giants can make to upgrade the starting rotation

3 of the best trades the SF Giants can make to upgrade the starting rotation

1. Corbin Burnes

Corbin Burnes would be an ideal trade target for the SF Giants. He has been one of the best starters in the National League league for years now as the ace of the Milwaukee Brewers pitching staff. He won a Cy Young award in 2021, and his name has been mentioned as a trade candidate this offseason.

Last year with the Brewers, Burnes had a 10-8 record with a 3.39 ERA in 32 games started. He had 200 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.07 in just over 193 innings pitched. 

These numbers are not as good as the previous two years were for Burnes, but they are still exceptional. He has received an All-Star nod each of the last three seasons and is 29 years old. 

One catch is that Burnes will be a free agent after the 2024 season. It is possible that if the Giants traded for him they could work out a long-term deal so they don’t have to worry about him walking away and probably joining the Dodgers in 2025. 

I would say that Burnes would be just as good, if not better, of an acquisition as signing Blake Snell would be. Burnes has a much lower career walk rate and is two years younger than Snell while featuring just as nasty stuff. 

It would likely take some valuable trade pieces to land him, but there is no doubt getting Burnes would be a huge addition to the Giants' rotation. One way or the other, Burnes will be connected to the Giants over the next 12 months. He went to college at Saint Mary's College, which is just about an hour away from Oracle Park.