3 players the SF Giants should consider moving at the 2024 trade deadline

3 players the SF Giants should consider moving at the 2024 trade deadline

2. Mike Yastrzemski

Mike Yastrzemski is in the midst of another quality season at the plate. He has registered a .244/.320/.444 line (118 wRC+) with eight home runs, 31 RBI, and 31 runs in 251 plate appearances. This includes an 8.8 percent walk rate, 27.9 percent strikeout rate, and a .200 ISO.

Plus, he plays above-average defense in right field. Oddly, he is arguably the team's best center fielder currently on the active roster, but Heliot Ramos has been used primarily in center field over the past few months.

Yastrzemski does a lot of things well despite not having a standout tool. The Giants are better when he is in the lineup both offensively and defensively. The 33-year-old has often been labeled as a fourth outfielder, but I would push back against this by pointing out that there are few teams where his production would not be among the three top outfielders.

Even a team like the New York Yankees with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto in the outfield could use a better third piece to the puzzle. They currently have Alex Verdugo with Trent Grisham serving as the fourth outfielder. Yastrzemski is better than both Verdugo and Grisham. Admittedly, a Yastrzemski in a Yankees uniform would certainly look weird for Boston Red Sox fans.

Similar to LaMonte Wade Jr., Yastrzemski is under contract through the 2025 season. The Giants have to ask whether they will even keep the veteran outfielder after this season. He is arbitration-eligible one more time before hitting free agency.

Even if the answer is yes, the team has to ask themselves whether they plan on keeping him beyond the 2025 season. If they do, he will be entering his age-35 season in 2026. That seems unlikely, so moving him now makes sense. The return may not be quite on the same level as Wade Jr., but with more than one year of team control remaining, they could still get a mid-level prospect.