3 trade targets for the SF Giants to replace Thairo Estrada

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.