SF Giants Rumors: Casey Schmitt trade would create more problems than it would solve

Unless the SF Giants turn things around in a meaningful way the next month and a half or so, there is going to be a lot of chatter about the pieces they should sell off at the trade deadline. Buster Posey and the front office have some difficult decisions to make and chief among them may be what to do with Casey Schmitt.

When thinking about San Francisco’s trade chips, many people bring up Luis Arraez because he has been exceptional at the plate as usual, has been a revelation defensively, and because he is a free agent after the season.

It makes sense for a team not in contention, like the Giants, to trade pending free agents because there’s a good chance they won’t re-sign them so they might as well get a prospect or two for them rather than get nothing as they watch them walk in free agency.

Giants may have to decide between trading Schmitt or Arraez

But maybe the Giants instead decide to trade Schmitt, rationalizing they could get more for a guy who has more power, is younger, and won’t be a free agent for a few more seasons.

Reporter Mark Feinsand views Schmitt as a trade candidate who has been on the rise, writing: “Schmitt would be an attractive trade candidate for many teams given his versatility in the field, and given his breakout offensive season, the Giants could look to capitalize on his value if they decide to become big sellers.”

It’s an interesting thought, but trading Schmitt away would create more problems than it would solve. Schmitt is the kind of player that front offices dream about. He can play basically anywhere on the diamond and he can hit. That sort of player is useful on every sort of team. Ben Zobrists and Tommy Edmans don’t just wash up on the shore and while Schmitt isn’t exactly like those guys, his versatility has been super impressive this season.

But if the Giants traded him then they would basically have to sign Arraez to some sort of extension because there aren’t a ton of attractive options within the organization who could take over at second base. 

Plus, it’s worth wondering if extending Arraez is a good idea. He’s a very solid player and there’s reason to think his brand of baseball is more sustainable and less prone to deterioration, but the Giants already have so much money tied up in the rest of the infield with Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, and Rafael Devers. The win-loss record doesn’t really make one want to lock in this infield for the rest of the decade.

The Giants have really struggled to develop homegrown talent in recent years. While Schmitt has been a bit of a late bloomer it feels counterintuitive to trade him away right as he’s breaking out. He’s streaky and his lack of walks are concerning but he’s a solid player and it feels like he should be a part of the team going forward.

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