3 trade targets for the SF Giants to replace Thairo Estrada

The Giants trading for Tommy Edman makes a lot of sense

The first thing that we need to do is identify the teams that are actually going to be sellers at the trade deadline. While the Cardinals have talked a big game in recent weeks of not wanting to punt on 2023 just yet, the reality is that they are 15 games below .500 and firmly in last place in the National League Central. Even if they don't want to admit it just yet, they are going to be sellers and that brings us to utility man Tommy Edman.

Edman honestly has a lot of similarities to Thairo in his profile as he has a little bit of pop, can run the bases, and is a high quality defender. Edman has not hit as well this season as Thairo with a wRC+ of just 90 in 2023, but he has made up for that with his defense and versatility. He also just put up a 5.7 fWAR season in 2022, so there is more in him to unleash.

The biggest thing about Edman is that he brings the ability to play all over the field which is huge bonus down the stretch when you don't have the ability to add players. He is also under team control through the 2025 season which makes this a nice long-term investment as well.

There are a few potential hang ups, of course. In addition to his bat not being amazing, he is going to be expensive to acquire in terms of prospects. All those years of team control are going to add to the cost to bring him into the fold. There is also the problem that the Cardinals may not want to trade him. While they should be sellers at the trade deadline, they will also probably want to retool quickly and try to contend next year and that could mean wanting to keep Edman around for that.

All of that said, the Giants should make a play for Edman as soon as possible. Yes, he will be expensive, but getting a guy with this much team control, defensive ability, and versatility is an opportunity they can't pass up. Even when Thairo returns, you can still find playing time for Edman elsewhere.

Amed Rosario is an interesting rental option for the SF Giants

There is a chance that the Giants don't want to commit the resources required to bring in a guy with a lot of team control especially if they want to use those prospects in other deals. That makes some sense especially if the team thinks that Thairo will be out for less time than many think (which is possible). One rental option that could be interesting is Amed Rosario from the Guardians.

Rosario isn't having the best year at the plate or in the field in 2023, but he has some things going for him. One, his offensive game isn't dissimilar from Thairo as he will run a bit and hits the ball hard. All he would really need is for a team to force him to be more disciplined at the plate to bump his walk rate up for him to be an average to above average hitter and the Giants have a good track record of getting guys to make adjustments to get the most out of their natural ability. He also SHOULD be cheaper as his production has been uneven and he is a free agent after the season.

As with any guy, there are some pitfalls as well. One, Rosario is a shortstop and there is no guarantee that he will be able smoothly transition over to second base especially given his defensive struggles this year. Another problem is that while the Guardians are below .500 at the moment, they are still very much in contention because the AL Central is awful this year. Even with Rosario set to become a free agent after the season, Cleveland may not want to disrupt their roster too much.

That said, Rosario should still be an option for the Giants. If San Fran can include a guy that is in the upper minors in the deal, it shouldn't be too difficult to convince Cleveland that a trade for Rosario is the best move for their future while also potentially bolstering their present. If Cleveland doesn't trade Rosario now, they risk losing him for nothing as he is far from a lock to give a qualifying offer.

Tim Anderson may be a nice middle ground trade target choice

Tim Anderson is a name that most baseball fans are familiar with at this point and he presents a unique opportunity for the Giants. This is another guy who is having a down season on a bad team, but who has a track record of being an excellent hitter with some defensive chops as well. Before the bottom dropped out this season, Anderson had hit over .300 in four straight seasons with a bit of power and who stole some bases.

The White Sox should absolutely be sellers at the deadline, so the Giants should find a willing trade partner in them. Anderson's value is at an all-time low which could make him a great value assuming the Giants can get him right. He also has a club option for 2024 left on his deal for $14 million that the Giants could exercise to keep him around if he plays well. This could be very beneficial in the event that Brandon Crawford leaves for another team in free agency after this season.

There are some problems here, though. First, Anderson production dropoff cannot be ignored especially since he has dealt with injuries the last two years. We don't know what his physical looks like at the moment, but it probably isn't perfect and he just turned 30 so the news isn't likely to improve significantly over time. There is also a possibility that the White Sox won't be reasonable in their price for Anderson as they could see him as a guy that will return to his former glory with an extra year of team control at a reasonable rate. When you combine that with the idea that Chicago may want to make a run next year, and you have what could be a very complicated negotiation.

With all of that out of the way, the Giants should at least do their due diligence on Anderson. See where the White Sox's heads are at, look at the underlying data on Anderson, and figure out if he could be a solution. It is possible that a move over to second base could be good for him in the short-term as he tries to get healthy. Other options may be "better" to go after, but Anderson could be a nice middle ground between the pure rental types and guys that are going to be very pricey given how many more years they are under contract.

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