SF Giants solution at first base just became available via trade

The SF Giants could be in the market to improve at first base this offseason. If they try to make an upgrade, a new option has become available in the form of Cody Bellinger who is reportedly being shopped by the Chicago Cubs.

Giants fans need no introduction to Bellinger as he was a member of the hated Los Angeles Dodgers for many years before he departed for Chicago. His two years in Chicago have been good if not spectacular. In 2023 he slashed .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs and 97 RBI.

SF Giants could have a new first base target in Cody Bellinger

Those efforts earned him a 3-year $80 million contract in free agency last offseason to return to the Cubs. There were some who thought he could end up with the Giants last offseason but it was not meant to be.

2024 was a bit of a different story for Bellinger. He slashed .266/.325/.426 with 18 home runs and 78 RBI. This drop off was not what Chicago was looking for after giving him a big pay day. That is why it seems Chicago is looking to trade him in a salary dump move.

Bellinger may not be an MVP-level player like he once was, but he is still a talented ballplayer who could help the Giants. He would definitely be a bit of an upgrade at first base. The Giants had to rely on LaMonte Wade Jr., Wilmer Flores, and Mark Canha at first base last season which did not garner a ton of success. Bellinger is more of a power threat than all three of them but one could argue he is not that much better than Wade is and Wade would cost a fraction of what Bellinger would.

Bellinger's salary would be fairly prohibitive for the Giants. He is set to make $27.5 million in 2025 which is a lot of money. The Giants would probably only agree to a trade for Bellinger if the Cubs paid off some of his salary.

It would be a risky move for the Giants to trade for Bellinger, but it would at least inject some excitement and hope for something different into a fanbase that seems somewhat resigned to more mediocirty from the team.

There are still free agent options at first base like Paul Goldschmidt and Christian Walker that the Giants could explore, but if they want to go the trade route, a trade for Bellinger could be an option.