Potential SF Giants trade target may be unavailable due to injury

The SF Giants have been linked to shortstop Bo Bichette for some time. However, he just suffered an injury to his calf that will keep him on the shelf for "multiple weeks." This likely precludes the Giants from trading for him.

Potential SF Giants trade target may be unavailable due to injury

The fact that Bichette will be on the IL for the next few weeks, including on the July 30th trade deadline, likely means that no team will be able to make a deal for him. Given the struggles the Blue Jays have had this season, many figured that they would be willing to part with Bichette.

Bichette has been having the worst season of his big league career. After 2023 saw him turn in an All-Star campaign where he hit .306/.339/.475 with 20 home runs and 73 RBI, he has had a steep drop off from that pace. So far in 2024 he is hitting .223/.276/.321 with 4 homers and 30 RBI.

Even if Bichette was healthy, it would have been incredibly risky for the Giants to trade for Bichette. They would have had to part ways with a ton of prospects for a guy who may well be on the decline. We have seen in recent years with Tim Anderson how fast a shortstop can go from being an All-Star to being simply unplayable at the big league level.

Right now the Giants are going with a platoon approach at shortstop with Brett Wisely and Tyler Fitzgerald. This strategy has worked pretty well so far as both have been serviceable on defense and have made solid contributions on offense.

However, shortstop is definitely an area they could improve. Perhaps instead of taking a risky gamble at the deadline for a shortstop they will instead try to land a free agent like Ha-Seong Kim in the offseason. This would probably be a wiser strategy especially since the Giants definitely have the vibe of a team destined for mediocrity in 2024.

Maybe Bichette's injury is a blessing in disguise for the Giants so they do not make a desperate trade for a player who may be in decline and have to give up key prospects in the process. The Wisely-Fitzgerald combo has worked well so for the time being the Giants should continue to ride their hot hands.