The Giants are reportedly already testing the waters ahead of the trade deadline

Things are really not going well for the San Francisco Giants. They weren't going well yesterday, they aren't going well today, and they most likely won't be going well tomorrow either. 

In that vein, on May 11, I wrote to you, esteemed readers of PassionMLB, to let you know that the Giants were in disarray and that one of the causes of this disarray was the poor performance of their trio of star players. We're talking about Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, and Rafael Devers. 

Five weeks later, the team's situation hasn't changed. The club sits in second-to-last place in the National League, just two games ahead of their division rival, the Colorado Rockies.

According to the specialized website Fangraphs, San Francisco has only a 2.5% chance of making the playoffs. To put it politely, let's just say the odds are very slim.

In short, the trade deadline is seven weeks away. Team management hasn't thrown in the towel on the season yet, but decisions will need to be made in the near future with an eye toward the long term. It's therefore a safe bet that the club will position itself as a seller by August 3, and according to the buzz, it's already testing the waters. Unfortunately for them, the Giants don't have many assets to offload.

Who will be traded if a deal happens

The first two names that come to mind are obviously pitcher Robbie Ray and second baseman Luis Arraez. Both will become free agents at the end of the season. 

Ray, 34, is no longer the pitcher he once was—a Cy Young Award winner. Furthermore, his $25 million salary in 2026 could give other decision-makers pause. On the other hand, a team aspiring to major honors won't want to be short on pitchers to see its ambitions through. Remember, just last year, the Phillies lost their ace Zack Wheeler for the rest of the season just days after the trade deadline. That loss hurt them badly.

As for Arraez, the infielder will be in high demand among other teams in the Manfred division. He's having an excellent season, as evidenced by his .319 batting average, and he commands a reasonable salary of $12 million for a player of his caliber. Buster Posey and his crew need to maximize their return if Arraez ever packs his bags for another destination.

The Chapman Case

Rafael Devers and Willy Adames are likely untouchable. However, it's a different story for the other member of the Big Three, Matt Chapman. The player known for his defense has improved his performance in recent weeks and could attract interest. In addition to freeing up salary, San Francisco already has a backup in Casey Schmitt should Chapman leave.

It's a shame the Giants have to resort to this. Things just never seem to click for them, and no one is quite sure what the missing ingredient in their recipe is. Clearly, money isn't the issue, since San Francisco still has the 11th-highest payroll in the league!

Created by humans, assisted by AI.