Despite the struggles for the San Francisco Giants this season they’re just a half-game out of a Wild Card spot.
It’s been a tough year for multiple reasons, especially on the injury front.
No matter what happens over the next two months before the July trade deadline, getting healthy will continue to be the biggest need for this ball club.
However, the amount of injuries they’ve dealt with could play a big part in the decisions they make.
With Blake Snell looking likely to hit the IL again, will they move him for future assets? Do they trust Snell to come back and return to the 2023 Cy Young version?
These are all tough questions the front office will have to answer in a short amount of time.
As of now, it’d make sense if the Giants were buyers at the deadline.
If they can get healthy and play better, similar to how they played prior to this series sweep against the New York Yankees, they should find themselves in an ideal position.
Looking at all 30 teams heading into the deadline, Jim Bowden of The Athletic wrote about their early trade deadline needs, saying, “The Giants are focused on improving at shortstop and in center field, with the latter due to [Jung Hoo] Lee’s season-ending shoulder injury.”
San Francisco finding a shortstop of the future could be their best plan during the trade deadline. It’s uncertain who’s going to become available, but one name who could make sense is Bo Bichette.
However, Bichette is still young and the Toronto Blue Jays could decide to keep him as he’s proven to be an above-average player at the Major League level.
In terms of a center fielder, the Giants should have Jung Hoo Lee for the foreseeable future. A torn labrum is never ideal, perhaps the worst injury in baseball. Still, being an outfielder, the hope and plan is for him to return and produce in ways he was expected to when they landed the international star.
A center fielder like Harrison Bader could be a decent option since he could play all three outfield spots and give them depth wherever they need it.
The deadline will tell a lot about the mindset of the front office.
They had an impressive offseason and will have a chance to continue that before the trade deadline.
