Ranking the SF Giants 3 best trade assets at the 2024 MLB trade deadline

The 2024 MLB trade deadline is right around the corner. The SF Giants look like sellers with a 50-55 overall record. Who are their best trade assets?

Ranking the SF Giants 3 best trade assets at the 2024 MLB trade deadline

The Giants did not expect to be in this position after being one of the more aggressive teams in free agency last winter. With a projected payroll of $254.3 million against the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT), the organization cannot be satisfied with its return on investment.

In a lot of ways, this could be Farhan Zaidi's last run with the club. He has served as team president of baseball operations for six seasons while leading the club to one winning record during that time. That is just not acceptable.

If you squint at the current roster, some of Zaidi's draft picks are beginning to develop into everyday players and rotation mainstays. However, it could be too little too late. Perhaps, he may be able to keep his job if he effectively navigates this trade deadline by adding talent back into the farm system.

The Giants do not have a lot of trade assets. That said, they do have a handful of players who could be attractive options on the trade market.

1. Blake Snell

In a vacuum, Blake Snell should be the top pitcher on the market. After all, he has a résumé that consists of two Cy Young Awards and one All-Star nod. The veteran pitcher inked a two-year, $62 million pact right before the end of spring training. This deal includes an opt-out after the first season.

That opt-out could be the roadblock that ultimately results in him finishing the season with San Francisco. Perhaps, a prospective team could ask Snell to opt in to the final year of his two-year deal similar to what Max Scherzer did before joining the Texas Rangers last summer.

That could be a tough sell. And, that makes it difficult for teams to agree to a reasonable price. Is he a rental? Will he pitch through the remainder of his current deal?

That remains to be seen. For the time being, the left-handed pitcher is in the midst of a hot streak that has caught the attention of teams around the league and serves as a reminder of how good he can be. The overall numbers are not quite there are he has struggled to a 5.10 ERA in 10 starts for the Giants.

However, he has yielded just two earned runs with 30 strikeouts and seven walks over his last 24 innings. It is easy to chalk his slow start to signing late in the offseason leading to injuries and poor performance. The 31-year-old is pitching like the player the Giants hoped they would get.

That said, he could be finishing the season with another team if the Giants do decide to sell. There is no denying that he would change the dynamic of any rotation he joins. The hard part is trying to navigate the opt-out clause. If he is moved, the return should provide a nice boost to the farm system.

Ranking the SF Giants 3 best trade assets at the 2024 MLB trade deadline

3. LaMonte Wade Jr.

Moving LaMonte Wade Jr. would not be a popular move, but the Giants should at least consider it. He will be entering the final year of arbitration this winter and the Giants have to weigh whether they see him as a long-term fit.

By the end of 2025, the veteran bat will be 31, which is not old from a baseball standpoint. However, he continues to sustain knee and leg injuries that will possibly limit him to just first base going forward.

That is not necessarily a bad thing. Wade Jr. is still an athletic player and can be an excellent defensive first baseman. This is in conjunction with the value he brings to the plate.

The left-handed bat is slashing .298/.423/.399 (141 wRC+) with three home runs, 19 RBI, and 30 runs in 234 plate appearances. This includes a 17.5 percent walk rate, 22.2 strikeout rate, and a .101 ISO.

Wade Jr.'s power numbers have declined in recent seasons, but he has offset this with an excellent eye at the plate. Any team would benefit from having a hitter who can post a .423 on-base percentage in the lineup.

That is part of what makes him a solid trade chip. With more than one year of team control, Wade Jr.'s value will not be any higher than it is today. If the Giants do not see him as a long-term fit for the organization, then moving him now to replenish the farm system makes some sense.