MLB Insider says 3 SF Giants veterans may be available at trade deadline

A new report from MLB inside Ken Rosenthal suggests that 3 veteran SF Giants hitters could be traded ahead of the trade deadline on July 30th. Those 3 players are Michael Conforto, Mike Yastrzemski, and Wilmer Flores.

MLB Insider says 3 SF Giants veterans may be available at trade deadline

Ken Rosenthal made this revelation in his most recent article for The Athletic (subscription required). He lists several players from a number of teams that may be in a position to sell at the deadline. Rosenthal adds the caveat that these players, "to some extent are available, according to industry sources briefed on trade discussions."

This report should not come as too much of a shock. For the past month or so it has seemed like a very real possibility that the Giants could part with these veteran players. Both Yastrzemski and Flores have become fan favorites in their time in San Francisco, but underperformance may mean they get dealt at the deadline.

When it comes to Yastrzemski and Conforto, they have similar profiles. Both are left-handed hitting outfielders. Yastrzemski is certainly the better defender, but you could argue that Conforto is a better hitter even though he is in the middle of a bad slump.

Conforto will be a free agent after this year and he is playing on an $18 million deal that the Giants will almost certainly have to eat a portion of if they are going to move him. Yastrzemski has more team control and is not set to become a free agent until 2026 and his contract is $7.9 million so he could be easier to move.

The Giants would probably only part with either Conforto or Yastrzemski, not both of them. The Giants have Heliot Ramos as their everyday center fielder, but to trade both Conforto and Yastrzemski would force Luis Matos to play every day despite his struggles and would force them to call up someone like Wade Meckler who struggled mightily in the big leagues last season.

With Flores, he will be tough to trade because he has had such a rough year. Currently, Flores is hitting a paltry .206 with 4 home runs and 26 RBI. That is a far cry from the .284/.355/.509 slash line he posted last season with 23 homers and 60 RBI.

Flores could interest teams looking for an above-average bench option who can play the corner-infield spots and also has a great track record as a pinch hitter. They would be betting that he can improve upon his poor numbers and turn things around in a different uniform.

In all, Rosenthal's report that these 3 veteran Giants may be traded does not come as much of a shock. We will have to see how things play out the next several days to see if their time with the Giants is truly coming to an end.