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

2. Camilo Doval

I considered ranking Camilo Doval first. It is hard to know how to properly rate Blake Snell given the opt-out clause. However, I went with Snell as the top option because starters can generate better overall value.

That said, Doval does have multiple years of team control after this season. He does not become a free agent until after the 2027 season but his cost is expected to rise considerably over the next few years as he goes through the arbitration process.

That team control holds value to teams because players on their rookie contracts generally provide production that exceeds their cost.

This is why the attention should turn to Doval following the Mason Miller injury. He would immediately become one of the more established relievers on the market.

It bears mentioning that the hard-throwing reliever is in the midst of a down year. He has posted a 4.38 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 1.61 WHIP, 11.8 K/9, and a 1.96 SO/W rate in 41 appearances. The strikeout rate remains healthy, but his control has declined sharply leading to too many walks and location mistakes.

Nevertheless, Doval has a track record as one of the best relievers in baseball in the two years leading up to this one. This includes an NL All-Star nod just last season.

Plus, Doval's fastball still sits comfortably in the high 90's with a slider that continues to be tough on opposing hitters. There is a lot to like in his profile even in a down year. Teams should see him as someone they can fix.