The Giants surprised many with tonight’s stunning trade that sent Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson to the Braves, yet the move doesn’t appear to be signalling a larger trend towards a selloff in the Bay Area. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (via X) writes that “it doesn’t sound as if the Giants have plans to make any more significant subtractions, especially from the rotation.” That latter specification implies that Blake Snell probably isn’t going to be on the move, despite increased speculation in the last few days that teams have been inquiring about the left-hander’s availability.
Whether the Giants make any noteworthy additions also still seems to be in question, as Slusser feels the team could bring in a new outfielder “if they add.” The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly writes that the Giants are looking for a good defender to play center field, and Heliot Ramos would then be moved into a corner outfield slot. Star prospect Marco Luciano will be recalled for another crack at the big leagues, and Luciano will factor into the DH picture with Michael Conforto and (when healthy) Wilmer Flores now that Soler is gone.
Naturally plans could still change as things develop leading up to the deadline, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal recently suggested that the Giants feel they could move Conforto to a team that would take on the rest of the roughly $6MM remaining of his $18MM salary. It could be that the Soler trade already provides enough financial relief that the Giants wouldn’t feel compelled to move Conforto as well, though if payroll isn’t a primary concern, the Giants could be freeing up some money to be flexible enough for a larger splash if an pricier option becomes available.
This type of measured approach to the trade deadline isn’t likely to please the San Francisco fanbase, yet it speaks to the team’s uncertain position in the standings. The Giants are 53-55 with a -16 run differential, but a four-game winning streak has brought them within four games of an NL wild card berth. With a number of lesser opponents (i.e. the A’s, White Sox, Marlins) all coming up on the schedule in the next five weeks, the ingredients might be there for the Giants to make a run…..or the front office could see the hill as too tall to climb.
In regards to Snell in particular, Baggarly says San Francisco would “have to be overwhelmed” to trade the southpaw, and the team is “not expecting something to materialize” between now and 5pm CT on Tuesday. For comparison’s sake, Baggarly said the Giants would want more for Snell than the Blue Jays got from the Astros in the Yusei Kikuchi trade earlier tonight.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman also reported that the Giants weren’t willing to include any money in a Snell trade to cover the significant remaining cost of his contract. The two-year, $62MM deal Snell signed last offseason breaks down as a $17MM signing bonus that has already been paid, a $15MM salary for 2024 (so roughly $5MM remains owed), and then $30MM in 2025. While Snell can opt out of that second year and return to free agency, rival teams are understandably wary about taking on that possible hefty cost, considering that Snell has a checkered injury history.
An opt-out didn’t appear to on the cards whatsoever for Snell just a few weeks ago, yet he has revived his trade value with some exceptional pitching since his return from the injured list. Snell has an 0.75 ERA and a 35.7% strikeout rate over 24 innings in his last four starts, suddenly once again looking like the dominant ace who won the NL Cy Young Award last year.
The Cubs, Orioles, Padres, and Yankees are all known to have expressed some level of interest about Snell, and SNY’s Andy Martino reports that the Mets have also “checked in” with the Giants, with “no traction” yet on any possible deal. Martino implies that this might have been something of a due diligence call from the Mets, as naturally any contender would want to at least touch base with San Francisco about what it would take to pry Snell away.
Why won’t they play Luciano at short? It would hurt him if his only time was at DH
Farhan be farhan my guess is he gets fired after the season
His defense is awful at short
because his defense stinks.
They have Fitz and Wisely to play there. Luciano will not be a big league SS.
He was biffing routine grounders left and right.
His ability to be a viable defensive short stop has long been questioned, while his bat is the real asset with upside. He’s been playing more second base in recent weeks to find him a defensive home. Giving him reps at DH for two months could do wonders, as he would only have to focus on adjusting to MLB pitching without also learning a new position. And if his bat shows that it’s ready, it would be straightforward for the Giants to work on his defense (at short, second, the outfield… wherever) in the off-season and next spring.
This isn’t just a giants issue but shouldn’t teams have a better understanding of a guys natural position before he reaches the big leagues. Unless you got a guy who’s knocking the cover off the ball and refuses to move down the spectrum but I gotta imagine those guys are your can’t miss guys. How many prospects development is stunted because he’s challenged too much defensively? I get the thinking that if you can play SS you can play anywhere but if they know he can’t play SS now wouldn’t the team be better served being big league ready at another position. Too many teams are trying to make their entire roster utility guys who can play all over the diamond and while the position flexibility is nice I’d rather have average defender who plays one position and one position only who’s 15-25% better than average year in year out.
Luciano will be a 1b or an OF.
If he’s the future 1b he had no business playing SS for the last 2 years.
That makes zero sense. So Manny Machado shouldn’t have been playing SS for the O’s? Tatis Jr, shouldn’t have been playing SS for 3 seasons? Xander Bogaerts shouldn’t have been playing SS for the RSox, or Padres? Marcus Semien should never have been playing SS for all those seasons with the A’s, and Jays? Not to mention that he played SS for the WSox early in his career.
Baseball has tons of guys that came up as SSs, but transitioned to a better position for them. Most never played a game at SS at the MLB level. Yours’ might be the silliest post I’ve seen in a very long while.
Because he can’t play SS. Like, he REALLY can’t play it.
Because we don’t need a SS. With Soler gone, we need a DH.
Sell high on Snell if there’s a good offer, and do what they can to dip under the luxury tax without breaking up the band too much.
They wouldn’t be selling high on snell though. They’d be selling low.
His last 4 outings were
TOR
MIN no Correa, possibly others
LAD
COL
Ppl do realize teams look at these things in their evaluation of a player they may be interested in right?
They also look at track records and Snell is lights out second half. His value should be high enough to pry a few big name prospects from the Orioles or yankees
If he had a cheaper contract and better production this year they probably could. His 38.5 mill salary next year knocks a few big name prospects down to 1.
I Believe We Can Win,
Where are you getting $38.5M? It’s $30M, and half of that is deferred to 2027.
$30M next year, but he’ll opt-out and he’s only owed $5M the rest of this year. Orioles and Yankees make too much sense not to go all in.
Selling high his relative. It’s his high point of the season. He has shown signs the last 4 outings that he could be very good the rest of the season.
Then you look at the other starting pitching options who is available that’s better? Skubal? Maybe crochet who both would cost a ton more prospects.
Snell is only owed 5m the rest of the year. Which any team could afford. His option for 30m next year does bring his value down some because of the risk of injury, poor production down the stretch and him opting in. Not every team can afford 30m next season.
With that said if he has a good second half he will likely opt out. His track record says there is a pretty good chance he will have a good to great performance down the stretch.
So I think there is a market for him without the giants eating any money. Plus still getting a quality prospect back including one better than the jays got back for KIk.
If I’m the giants I’m looking to move him. With the right moves the giants can dip back under the tax plus the way birdsong has pitched they would still be in pretty good shape rotation wise and allow birdsong to get more mlb development time.
If they can get say a top 100 prospect back or close to it with a couple of other then I make that trade.
Then the giants can play out the season, still be competitive and see what they got from some of their young guy. I’d dump conforto even if I had to eat a little of his deal.
The giants aren’t that far away from having a pretty solid team. Especially if fitz isn’t a one month wonder. He won’t be this good going forward but he doesn’t have to be to be good.
Ramos is a nice surprise for them as well. Lee coming back next year should help them as well.
They are missing the middle of the order thump that Soler was suppose to bring but didn’t. Perhaps the go after Alonso next off season and try again.
While I believe the giants can hang around the wild card race with or without snell. I don’t think they will pass enough teams to make the playoffs. The teams ahead of them are adding players and will likely get better. I guess they can hope one of the Braves, Padres or Mets don’t play well the last two months. That’s possible with all three teams being shakey at one point or another. The problem is then you also have to be better than the cards, pirates and dbacks. That is a long shot. So trade snell and get the franchise in a better spot next year.
Well that was a big effort with few facts and scant understanding behind it. Next time try fewer words. That’ll get you just as far.
Why would we care what four teams he last faced? They’re major league teams, Bubba! They will punish any pitcher who throws less than good stuff. Snap out of it.
Snell should not go anywhere unless someone dangles at least one can’t miss prospect plus another bright one. And I don’t mean Holloway!
Coby Mayo.
I Believe We Can Win,
That’s a fairly weak attempt to put negative spin on Snell’s recent performance.
Correa is not the sole driver of the Twins’ offense. They rank 6th in all MLB in OPS+, and 8th in RS. It’s just silly to think it’s all about Correa
The Dodgers aren’t exactly a pushover either. They rank 2nd in MLB in OPS+, and 4th in RS. The top of their lineup, Ohtani, Smith, and Freeman, went hitless against Snell.
Sure the Rockies aren’t good, but that performance was utterly dominant; 6 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 15 SOs.
To try and cast Snell’s last 4 GS as anything less than impressive raises question as to your objectivity, or even your baseball IQ.
For God’s sake, bring in a bat Farhan…
As much as I agree, easier said than done
I dunno, Braves just brought one in for practically nothing
$28.3M is practically nothing?
Soler was a non-bat. The ATL are letting him take a corner. Giants will laugh at them when they pass the Braves in August.
Soler? On a wing and a prayer. He had a great series. We’ll see what happens going forward. He certainly didn’t show much before the last four games.
The way this pitching staff is going, I don’t doubt what you say.
I’ll put a fin on it.
SF will also get the last laugh when Luciano has a better OPS than Soler by the end of the year.
Farhan Zaidi just did a deal that improves and helps a team that is in the same wild card race his team is in.
Geez, talk about a profound lack of leadership.
trading their leadoff hitter and one of the few (decent) bright spots in their offense lol
Zombie: Soler is a leadoff hitter?
Blue: Yes, Melvin was batting him leadoff and he was just starting to produce. 11 for his last 18 and raised his OPS by nearly 50 points in the last week.
Soler was insisting on batting leadoff from what I’ve heard.
Some of the same people discounting Snell;s recent performance as a small sample, are now heralding Soler’s recent small sample of improvement.
Correct. He wasn’t hitting where Melvin wanted to hit him. BoMel was doing everything he could to make Soler comfortable to try to get some production out of him. I wish him well and think the Giants made the right move.
So you watched the last four games, and now you qualify to laugh at management moves?
He was batting lead off before the ASB, Einstein. When healthy he was their 2nd or 3rd best hitter. It doesn’t take watching a weeks worth of baseball to know trading one of your most productive offensive hitters in an offensively deficient lineup isn’t a good move. Good day to you.
I was upset with the Cardinals for making a trade involving the dodgers but I agree – this is worse. I don’t follow the giants but even from afar Farnhan seems questionable
Cardinals turned Edman into Fedde. I am totally cool with getting the Dodgers involved if that’s whst it took.
It’s not worse. You just want to complain. Stick with the Cards. You haven’t been watching the Giants very closely.
Get take didn’t even think about that; they lower the power ability of the giants will allowing the Braves another big bat.
Surprised that more teams weren’t in on his one as it was basically a salary dump. Also Soler next two years are more than reasonable for past production levels
Debateable.
Key word is “past”. Present and future likely to be worse.
Nearly EVERY team is in the Wildcard race, so that doesn’t leave a lot of trading partners.
Soler could also make the Braves worse. After watching him this season he gives away lots of at bats. A lot. His pitch selection has been terrible until the last couple weeks. Leaves a lot of runners in scoring position. He does hit the ball very hard at times but it’s because he never alters his approach. Swings as hard as he can and misses lots of pitches by a foot. Also kills many rallies by hitting into
double plays. I just think he was trying too hard. So it’s not a given that he actually will help the Braves anymore than he did the Giants and could actually even hurt them.
Per Cot’s, Snell’s $17M signing bonus is deferred and hasn’t yet been paid: “$17M signing bonus, paid 1/15/26”.
So the Giants could ask (before getting turned down) for a prorated portion of the full $32M 2024 salary + bonus in addition to prospect(s).
But it doesn’t sound like any of this will happen.
The signing bonus isn’t transferable. Giants will be paying that bonus in 2026.
Unless there’s a big trade for a bat coming, this is an awful trade by Zaidi. Soler is historically a second-half hitter, and he’s doing it again: heating up practically on cue with a .993 OPS in the past 15 games.
Even Matt Chapman pointed out that Soler was heating up when commenting on how the team was starting to get on a roll.
What big bat is really left on the market at a reasonable price?? It looked like for a minute Atlanta wasn’t going find a bat.
I think the giants should look at moving Snell the prices are high and he could net a really good retur .
The only big bat would cost a ton of prospects for Roberts. Which I think would be a good addition for the giants since he is signed for 3 years after this one. Problem is the white Sox want a return as if he is an mvp. So they will likely hold onto him and trade him later when he they hope raises is value back up.
Again, on a wish and a prayer for Soler’s bat. Or perhaps a big fizzle in Atlanta.
2nd half hitter?? There are 54 games left. He’s still swinging at outside pitches even Angel Hernandez wouldn’t have called strikes. He’s actually had some luck lately, but his hard hits are few and far between. Luciano will be no worse and probably better. Oh, and we saved $28,300,000. This was a perfect time to dump him after his rare good series against dreadful Rockies pitching.
Personally, I have never seen a player so absolutely useless in driving in runs that were set up for him. Glad Farhan dumped him.
No more Farhan, just go away dude
It’s so bad that maybe the Giants said he’s done at season’s end so he’s nosediving like a kamikaze pilot.
Didn’t they just extend him last off-season for 3 more years? I think Farhan Zaidi will be with the Giants next season as well and probably the season after too.
I think he has two more years after this one. I believe they tied his ship to Melvin’s.
I honestly think he lasts through next year and then gone.
This was a great trade. Dump a guy who spent 2/3rds of the season chasing and missing outside pitches? Clearing $28.3M off your books? Clearing space for a kid who will definitely not be any worse than Soler at DH? I’m no fan of FZ, but nearly all of his dumping moves have proven to be astute.
A’s are scoring tons of runs and have baseballs 2 hottest hitters in Butler and Rooker. They are hardly going to be a breeze for the Giants
I believe they’ve scored the most runs of any MLB club in the month of July.
That’s if they don’t trade Rooker. Who actually is a decent target for the giants. Of course reports are the A’s may not move him.
No one is “a breeze” for the Giants. Why? Because despite their terrific rotation they lack a middle of the order bat. Chapman is excellent but he should be batting 7th not 4th.
I agree. Also doesn’t help that Conforto is hugely inconsistent and except for the last couple games, has been in a huge slump. I still think he gets moved to give Matos more ab’s .
But remember, the June swoon and the September ender.
What says buy? You maxed out your home grown. Sold your soler power. What are you hoping for? 2021 again? That had nothing to with the front office or any sliver of ownership. Sink with dignity and try to sell high.
Oh yea? So Late night Lamont had nothing to do with the front office? He just showed up one day for a tryout from his former job as a stenographer?
You don’t fold when you possess the best starting pitching staff in MLB. Better than LA, better than NYY, better than ATL. If the Giants get into the post season they have a great chance of going deep. It would be stupid to dump Snell.
Even without Snell the Giants rotation is killer. But do they have enough offense? No. It’s getting there but Zaidi needs to bring in an everyday bat.
World Series bound