SF Giants likely now out on reported trade targets with division rival

Before the SF Giants swung a big trade to acquire Rafael Devers, they were reportedly eyeing a couple of other trade targets. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Sunday that the Giants and Seattle Mariners were keeping a close eye on a pair of Arizona Diamondbacks hitters in Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez.

SF Giants likely now out on reported trade targets with division rival

Of course, the Giants added Devers a few hours later, likely taking them out of that market entirely. The Giants began the year with LaMonte Wade Jr. as the everyday first baseman. He struggled before being placed on waivers and eventually traded to the Los Angeles Angels.

The Giants replaced Wade Jr. with Dominic Smith. Smith has done a nice job with the club, posting a .919 OPS with one home run and seven RBI in 42 plate appearances. The Giants did not get any production at first base prior to Smith's arrival, so even league average production would have been a substantial improvement. In the early going, he has been even better than that.

It remains to be seen how the Giants plan to use Smith following the addition of Rafael Devers. They could go in a couple different directions. One direction is keeping Smith at first base, using Devers at DH, and having Wilmer Flores come off the bench. Another direction is switching Flores and Smith in that prior scenario. The Devers move does indirectly strengthen the bench, too.

While Smith has done a nice job, he was likely a stop-gap option given his track record as more of a passable hitter at first base. The Giants were likely going to look for an upgrade before the trade deadline anyway, and with Josh Naylor being a potential option.

Before the Diamondbacks even get to the point, a lot of that will depend on where they are at in the standing. They currently sit in fourth place in the NL West with a 36-35 record. If that .507 winning percentage holds by the trade deadline, that would put them in a position to be buyers.

In theory, Josh Naylor would have been the type of bat the Giants would have targeted at first base. Given that the Diamondbacks are within the division, Rhys Hoskins of the Milwaukee Brewers and Ryan O'Hearn of the Baltimore Orioles may have made more sense.

On the other hand, Eugenio Suárez would have made less sense. Suárez plays third base, but a move off that position is likely in the cards soon. He hits with power, but 16 of his 21 home runs have come in the hitter-friendly confines of Chase Field. This is all a moot point now, as the Giants swung a trade to fill that need in a big way.