{"id":829989,"date":"2026-07-28T22:50:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T22:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/829989\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T22:50:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T22:50:18","slug":"giants-trade-deadline-primer-breaking-down-potential-trade-partners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/829989\/","title":{"rendered":"Giants trade deadline primer: Breaking down potential trade partners"},"content":{"rendered":"

As of Tuesday morning, 19 teams are within three games of an MLB postseason spot. The Giants are not one of them, which means they\u2019ll be popular at the trade deadline<\/a>. I\u2019d like to think every July, the entire front office has bandoliers strapped to them with 29 cell phones, one for every other team. It might make them look like tactical cosplaying dorks, but one can never be too careful. This might be the most important deadline for the Giants since they traded for Jake Peavy in 2014.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at these contending teams, then. Ooooh, congratulations on your non-disaster of a season; I\u2019m sure it\u2019s really exciting (rolls eyes). No, seriously, congrats; now cough up your best prospects.<\/p>\n

I set the cutoff for these teams at \u201cwithin three games of the playoffs\u201d because that includes the Astros and Mariners, who are explicitly buying, and excludes teams such as the Tigers and Reds, who can\u2019t possibly have an all-in strategy right now.<\/p>\n

Also, I\u2019m using Wins Above Average for the team ranks, mostly because it\u2019s just so danged convenient over at Baseball-Reference to do it by team and position, but also because it\u2019s a rock-solid stat that includes the state of the entire team, not just the starter at a position.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s your primer for next week. This team needs X badly. The Giants have X. They should chat.<\/p>\n

New York Yankees<\/p>\n

Needs: 3B (25th\u00a0in WAA<\/a>)
Luxury tax status: Over for third straight season (max. penalties)
Farm system rank<\/a>: 20th
One trade target to get familiar with: Ben Hess, RHP<\/p>\n

Carlos Lagrange would have been my pick for the easy ZZ Top jokes and closer stuff, but he\u2019s dealing with a shoulder injury, which is enough to scare just about any team off. Go with Hess, then, as a starter the Giants have seen a lot in the Double-A Eastern League. He\u2019s not exactly close to the majors, but he\u2019d be instant depth at the right level for it.<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays<\/p>\n

Needs: 2B (20th), CF (21st)
Luxury tax status: lol
Farm system rank: 16th
One trade target to get familiar with: Brody Hopkins, RHP<\/p>\n

Hopkins is a right-handed starter who came into this season<\/a> as the Rays\u2019 third-ranked prospect. He started the season as a top-100 prospect (No. 83)<\/a>, but \u2014 hold on, let me take a giant sip of water to spit out \u2014 has walked 77 batters in 81 innings this year. He\u2019d have to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, so the Rays would love to have one fewer roster decision to make. The Giants\u2019 decisions shouldn\u2019t be nearly as painful, so 40-man considerations aren\u2019t as important to them. (They\u2019ve already made a couple of their decisions early, with the promotions of Jonah Cox and Drew Cavanaugh, too.)<\/p>\n

Also, the Rays should get Luis Arraez. They know this. Everyone in the what-if exercise knew this. If there\u2019s a farm system to study, this might be the one.<\/p>\n

Boston Red Sox<\/p>\n

Needs: SS (26th), LF (22nd)
Luxury tax status: Over for second straight season
Farm system rank: 10th
One trade target to get familiar with: Hayden Mullins, LHP<\/p>\n

Mullins is a funky-throwing left-hander whose fastball plays up because of deception and carry, but whose ERA has finally caught up to his walk rate. He\u2019d need to be protected in this year\u2019s Rule 5 draft.<\/p>\n

Chicago White Sox<\/p>\n

Needs: DH (25th)
Luxury tax status: Comfortably under
Farm system rank: 8th
One trade target to get familiar with: Mathias LaCombe, RHP<\/p>\n

LaCombe is from France, and good things happen when the Giants bring French-born baseball folks into the organization, so start there. He\u2019s not exactly close to the majors, even though he\u2019s already 24, because he\u2019s thrown just over 80 innings as a professional since being drafted in 2023. After a strong start in the High-A South Atlantic League, the White Sox challenged him with a move up to Double A.<\/p>\n

Cleveland Guardians<\/p>\n

Needs: 1B (28th), OF (19th)
Luxury tax status: Comfortably under
Farm system rank: 5th
One trade target to get familiar with: Justin Campbell, RHP<\/p>\n

Campbell was a Compensation Round A pick of the Guardians in 2022, and he just made his debut with the organization, if that gives you any hint about his health issues as a professional. He\u2019s currently on the IL, even, albeit for a less-than-scary oblique issue.<\/p>\n

\"Oklahoma<\/p>\n

\n Justin Campbell has had trouble staying healthy since leaving Oklahoma State, but he has reached Triple A this season. (Alonzo Adams \/ USA Today Network via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

He\u2019s their version of Reggie Crawford, and they\u2019ll have to make a Rule 5 decision on him. They\u2019ve moved him all the way up to Triple A in his debut season, signaling that the organization has at least some confidence in him.<\/p>\n

Texas Rangers<\/p>\n

Needs: 2B (23rd), SP (23rd)
Luxury tax status: Under
Farm system rank: 26th
One trade target to get familiar with: Dalton Pence, LHP<\/p>\n

The Giants could have Hunter Pence interview Dalton Pence and Hunter Mense on a broadcast, just to confuse listeners for the rest of their lives. More importantly, Pence is an upper-minors left-hander with a fastball that plays up. Not that close, but definitely not that far. If you sense a theme with these prospects, you\u2019re right to.<\/p>\n

Houston Astros<\/p>\n

Needs: 2B (27th), OF (24th), SP (29th)
Luxury tax status: Under
Farm system rank: 28th
One trade target to get familiar with: Ethan Pecko, RHP<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a quality baseball name, of course, but Pecko would need to be added to the Astros\u2019 40-man roster after the season, and he\u2019s done just enough to make that a brutal decision. He\u2019s not a stuff monster, but he would be depth where the Giants need it.<\/p>\n

Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n

Needs: 1B (27th), 3B (24th), RF (24th)
Luxury tax status: Under
Farm system rank: 3rd
One trade target to get familiar with: Luis Castillo, RHP<\/p>\n

The Castillo-for-Chapman idea<\/a> is both incredibly complicated and incredibly fascinating, with the salaries helping the deal instead of hurting it, and both teams trading from relative depth (pending Casey Schmitt\u2019s MRI<\/a>, of course). The Giants could probably sign Casey McGehee to close the circle, too.<\/p>\n

An Emerson Hancock-for-Heliot Ramos deal also makes a fair amount of sense. But if you\u2019re desperate for a prospect, check out right-handed reliever Charlie Beilenson, who has closer stuff.<\/p>\n

Atlanta Braves<\/p>\n

Needs: 3B (23rd), SS (21st)
Luxury tax status: Currently over for first time
Farm system rank: 27th
One trade target to get familiar with: Owen Murphy, RHP<\/p>\n

Murphy is a 2022 first-round pick who\u2019s had a miserable time getting his professional career going because of injuries. However, he was good enough in Triple A this season to earn a major-league promotion. This is the kind of pitcher the Giants could get in a much bigger deal, for one of their players with a lot more team control, than in a deal for someone such as Robbie Ray or Arraez.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Phillies<\/p>\n

Needs: Hitters (29th\u00a0in OPS+)
Luxury tax status: Over for third straight season (max. penalties)
Farm system rank: 15th
One trade target to get familiar with: Andrew Painter, RHP<\/p>\n

Painter was the 13th pick in the 2021 draft and became a top-20 prospect after a standout 2022 season but lost virtually all of the 2023 and 2024 seasons to Tommy John surgery. He returned last season to pitch nearly the whole year in Triple A and earned a spot on the Phillies\u2019 Opening Day roster this March. He was pummeled in the majors this season (7.06 ERA), but has had an uptick in velocity and effectiveness back in the minors.<\/p>\n

\"Philadelphia<\/p>\n

\n Andrew Painter\u2019s first taste of the big leagues didn\u2019t go well, but he\u2019s been a top-50 prospect for much of his minor-league career and still has lots of upside. (Terence Lewis \/ Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Like Murphy in the Braves capsule above, Painter would be a part of a larger, more surprising deal; however, he seems to be coming up often in trade talks.<\/p>\n

Washington Nationals<\/p>\n

Needs: SP (19th)
Luxury tax status: Comfortably under
Farm system rank: 6th
One trade target to get familiar with: Jackson Kent, LHP<\/p>\n

The Giants don\u2019t match up well with the Nationals at all, unless they\u2019re talking starting pitching. Kent seems like the kind of low-ceiling, higher-floor left-hander that moves in a deal for a pitcher like Ray or Tyler Mahle, if that sort of deal appeals to them.<\/p>\n

Miami Marlins<\/p>\n

Needs: 1B (25th), 3B (26th), OF (23rd)
Luxury tax status: They read about it in The Athletic once
Farm system rank: 22nd
One trade target to get familiar with: Kemp Alderman, 1B\/OF<\/p>\n

Teams cannot live on pitching alone, of course, and if you look at the Giants\u2019 system, you\u2019ll see a little opening for a first baseman and\/or outfielder with some pop. Here\u2019s one, with Alderman holding his own in Triple A, but not exactly dominating his way into untouchable status. Of course, the Marlins started the second half with a miserable 12-game losing streak that pretty much knocked them out of contention, so they\u2019re only here by the grace of the cutoff. They\u2019re probably selling, if anything.<\/p>\n

Still, nothing is stopping the Marlins from just taking Rafael Devers. Like, just take him and score more runs. The Giants should probably keep him to score more runs here, but I\u2019m just saying, the Marlins can and should do that sort of thing every so often.<\/p>\n

Milwaukee Brewers<\/p>\n

Needs: RF (22nd), 3B (20th)
Luxury tax status: Comfortably under
Farm system rank: 1st
One trade target to get familiar with: Jett Williams, INF\/OF<\/p>\n

The Brewers have the best position prospect in baseball<\/a>, a shortstop by the name of Jes\u00fas Made. However, they also have shortstop Cooper Pratt, who is already in the majors and doing swell things. And they have Luis Pe\u00f1a, a terrific shortstop prospect himself who is playing third base at times in deference to Made. Williams always moved around the diamond, even when he was a top prospect with the Mets (he was traded for Freddy Peralta in the offseason). But the Brewers are setting themselves up for a bit of a logjam up the middle.<\/p>\n

That said, these two teams don\u2019t match up well in needs and available players. If you\u2019re expecting a cross-clubhouse trade over the next couple of days, be prepared to be disappointed.<\/p>\n

Chicago Cubs<\/p>\n

Needs: SP (30th)
Luxury tax status: Currently over for first time
Farm system rank: 18th
One trade target to get familiar with: Brandon Birdsell, RHP<\/p>\n

The only baseball truism you should care about is that teams should always chase the funny bits. The Twins should have drafted Tyler Rogers in any number of Rule 5 Drafts to give them literal twins in the bullpen. The Giants should have drafted Mike (Giancarlo) Stanton with the compensatory pick they got for reliever Mike Stanton. They also should have drafted Tyler Soderstrom and Cody Bellinger because of their dads\u2019 respective ties to the Giants. The Giants should have signed Zack Wheeler as a bit, and it would have made them much better this season, when they needed it the most.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know if having a Birdsell and a Birdsong in a future rotation is enough to meet this threshold, quite honestly. But the Giants have to try, dang it. They have to try.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Pirates<\/p>\n

Needs: 1B (21st), DH (29th)
Luxury tax status: Comfortably under
Farm system rank: 4th
One trade target to get familiar with: Easton Carmichael, C<\/p>\n

Carmichael is a catcher with some offensive skills (and a little speed!) who isn\u2019t quite major-league ready defensively. That\u2019s perfect for an organization that\u2019s promoted a couple of catchers and traded one away this season.<\/p>\n

St. Louis Cardinals<\/p>\n

Needs: 3B (29th), LF (25th), CF (28th)
Luxury tax status: Comfortably under
Farm system rank: 11th
One trade target to get familiar with: Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP (formerly a switch pitcher)<\/p>\n

If we could all handle Mike Yastrzemski, Jeff Samardzija and A.J. Pierzynski, we could handle this. This is the first full season with Cijntje as a full-time right-hander, as he was originally a switch-pitching prospect. It\u2019s not impossible to think he could break out the ol\u2019 two-way glove for a hitter who is especially vulnerable to left-handed pitching, but for now, he\u2019s a raw, hard-throwing starting prospect.<\/p>\n

And a pretty good one, at that, albeit one with some serious command wrinkles to work out. If the Giants get a couple of majors-ready starters in other deals, a just-under-the-surface starter like Cijntje would make sense in the system.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Dodgers<\/p>\n

Needs: Comeuppance, a sense of humility, someone to knock \u2019em down a peg that\u2019s what
Luxury tax status: So far over, for so long, and they don\u2019t care, nothing matters, nothing has ever mattered
Farm system rank: 2nd, of course
One trade target to get familiar with: James Tibbs III, OF\/1B<\/p>\n

Just a little gallows humor to lighten the mood, ha ha. Unless it had the opposite effect and made you extremely grumpy and pessimistic. Oh, well. Too late!<\/p>\n

But, also, the Giants aren\u2019t likely to trade within the division, so don\u2019t worry about the Dodgers. I mean,\u00a0worry about them, especially in an existential sense, but not as it relates to the deadline. The Padres and Diamondbacks aren\u2019t out of the question, but it\u2019s hard to see them coming over the top of an offer from any of the above teams.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time to start boning up on some prospects around the league, though. They\u2019re about to become Giants prospects soon. It\u2019s been a while since there\u2019s been a sell-off this obvious, so dive in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As of Tuesday morning, 19 teams are within three games of an MLB postseason spot. The Giants are…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":829990,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[558],"tags":[64,63,591,5157,85],"class_list":["post-829989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-mlb","tag-san-francisco-giants","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/829989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=829989"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/829989\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/829990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=829989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=829989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=829989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}