The Giants’ remaining needs are simple: They could use a backup catcher, a left-handed infielder, more reliable relievers if they can find them, a defensive upgrade in center field, and a magical superstar who can sell tickets, create an electric energy throughout the region and get the team back to the World Series. Don’t forget about that backup catcher, though.
Can they find any of these players on the trade market? We’ve looked at the AL West, the AL Central and AL East to see if there are any trade targets from each team that make sense. We’ll do the same with the National League now, starting with the East.
Atlanta Braves — Travis d’Arnaud, C
Why the Braves would give him up
One doesn’t trade for Sean Murphy to use him occasionally. Murphy might be the best defensive catcher in the game, and he might not have reached his offensive ceiling, either. He’s a clear everyday catcher, someone who should sit only every fifth day or so.
Which means the Braves will be wasting part of Travis d’Arnaud’s value. They can use him at DH, and he can pick up 20 to 40 percent of the starts behind the plate, so it’s not as if he’ll be a forgotten man, but they should at least be listening to offers for him.
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It seems unrealistic until you realize that the Braves are juuuuuuuust above the luxury tax threshold after signing Murphy to an extension, and trading d’Arnaud would give them enough breathing room to be creative at the trade deadline, too. The 34-year-old is owed $8 million this season, with an $8 million team option. The Braves are a win-now team, for sure, but it’s also clear that d’Arnaud isn’t a long-term fixture.
Why the Giants would want him
The Giants probably should have traded for Murphy last offseason. They probably should have traded for him this offseason. They probably should have, at the very least, wormed their way into the three-way deal that sent him to the Braves and snuck out the back door with a different All-Star catcher, like the Brewers did.
But there’s no use sifting through coals from the hot stoves of yore, and there might still be a chance to get an All-Star catcher to pair with Joey Bart, someone who’s thrived with a job-sharing arrangement before. D’Arnaud is a career .252/.312/.428 hitter, but he was even better last season (.268/.319/.472, with 18 homers), and his pitch framing is excellent. He’s also the brother of Giants legend Chase d’Arnaud, who’s tied for the lowest ERA in franchise history (0.00).
This wouldn’t be a replacement for Joey Bart, but it would at least give the Giants more options than a typical catching arrangement. Bart could get starts against teams with strong running games, and d’Arnaud could be a strong DH option against left-handed pitching.
Why it’s not going to happen
You know what’s better than one good catcher? Two good catchers. This isn’t like having two DHs who hit from the same side; every team would love a problem like the one the Braves have. And if the Braves don’t care about the luxury tax, I’m not sure what the Giants would have to offer them that they don’t already have. They’ll just roll around in their riches like a beagle in stink, with more talented players on their bench than most teams have in their lineup.
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New York Mets — Brett Baty, 3B
Why the Mets would give him up
Because they have their third baseman of the future already. That would be Carlos Correa, who signed a 12-year contract with the Mets. Well, the organization hasn’t officially announced that deal yet, but I’m sure it’s just an administrative hold-up. Just a few i’s to dot, and a few t’s to cross. I’m sure it’s fine.
Let’s just assume that Correa does eventually sign with the Mets, and that he hasn’t signed with the Dodgers for one year, $52 million by the time this is published. The Mets might not be keen on paying him for a dozen years anymore, but if a deal gets done, they’ll still be committing to him for a long time. The Mets would have to find another place for Baty, and it would take an injury to open that spot up.
Maybe there’s a way to make their team better right now. And maybe they should be concerned that their two primary right-handed setup men (Adam Ottavino and David Robertson) are both 37 years old, and the postseason is a young man’s game.
Yes, I’m back on my Camilo Doval-dangling nonsense, but I promise you, this one makes sense!
Why the Giants would want him
Young. Projectable. Pedigreed. Baty was one of the best prospects in baseball entering the 2022 season, and then he lit up the Double-A Eastern League on the way to his major-league debut. This is exactly the kind of player the Giants haven’t been able to develop on their own so far, and he would be around for the wave of prospects that will come if the Giants figure that part out.
You’d rather have someone like that than a boring ol’ closer who throws 103 MPH, right?
[ducks tomato]
Think it over! Baty should be really good, and it would be sublimely funny for him to turn into a star for the Giants, who would have only ended up with him because the Mets got Correa. Sublimely funny!
Why it’s not going to happen
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Yeah, the Mets ain’t trading Baty, especially if Correa’s ankle glows in the dark and makes weird grinding noises when the moon is full. They’re going to need a backup plan, and if they have to move Baty to the outfield or another infield position if he keeps raking, it’ll be a pleasant problem to have.
If the Mets were trading him, though, it would be for a young, dominant reliever who throws triple digits and is under team control for several years. But where would they find a player like that?
Miami Marlins — Trevor Rogers
Why the Marlins would give him up
It would be selling low, but the Marlins have a surplus of starters, and they’re looking to trade from that depth. The Marlins should have been better than they were last year, especially with unanimous Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, and if they can swing a few creative trades, they’ll be stronger than you think.
Rogers was an All-Star in 2021 and the second-place finisher for Rookie of the Year, but he was absolutely dreadful last year, costing Grant Brisbee a fantasy baseball champi … I mean, posting a 5.47 ERA and struggling with injuries throughout. His return from the IL in late August was promising, though, and the Marlins are hoping that someone will believe in that version of Rogers and pay a premium for his youth, potential and team control.
Why the Giants would want him
He’s young and talented, and maybe the Giants could help him reclaim his form, blah blah blah. The Giants don’t need another starter right now. It would be great to get Rogers’ potential in the organization, but the risk wouldn’t be worth the price the Marlins are surely asking.
He’s the choice because it would be amusing. The Giants need to complete the trogilogy. Tyler Rogers, Taylor Rogers and Trevor Rogers. Somewhere in the Bay Area, Duane Kuiper just woke up sweating. It’s a broadcaster’s nightmare, but it would be amusing for us.
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Don’t dismiss this reasoning, either. Drafting an outfield prospect named Mike Stanton with the draft pick the Giants got for losing reliever Mike Stanton would have been amusing. It also would have given the Giants a 6-foot-6 slugger who’d change his name to Giancarlo later. But the Giants drafted Charlie Culberson with that pick, which isn’t amusing at all.
The Giants signing Zack Wheeler after trading him for Carlos Beltrán would have been amusing. It also would have given the Giants a heckuva Game 3 starter against the Dodgers in the 2021 NLDS, and it probably would have pushed the Giants into the postseason last season, especially since he wouldn’t be on the Phillies.
The Twins should have picked Tyler Rogers in the Rule 5 Draft to pair with his brother and got literal twins on the Twins. It would have been amusing. If they did that, maybe Rogers would have been in instead of Sergio Romo in Game 1 of the 2020 postseason, and there wouldn’t have been a ninth-inning meltdown.
You can keep your fancy “stats” and “scouts.” I’m building my teams based on amusement and bemusement. All the musements.
Did we mention that Rogers is Cody Ross’ cousin, a previous Marlins donation who ended up being a postseason hero? Also amusing!
Why it’s not going to happen
Those fancy “stats” and “scouts.” When will baseball be ready for ideas like mine? When?
Philadelphia Phillies — Scott Kingery (and $8 million)
Why the Phillies would give him up
Uh, just take him. Here you go. There are care instructions on the back of the paper they’re handing you. Don’t get him wet. Don’t feed him after midnight. The regular stuff.
To recap, Kingery was a hot prospect entering the 2018 season. He raked in Double A and held his own in Triple A, all while playing everywhere in the infield and outfield. He impressed the Phillies so much that they gave him a six-year, $24 million contract before his major-league debut. It was a no-risk transaction at the time. Or so it seemed.
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Flash forward to the present day, and Kingery has been a serious disappointment, hitting .229/.280/.387 for his career. He’ll be 29 next season, and he’s owed $8.25 million with a $1 million buyout. The Phillies have outrighted him off their 40-man roster multiple times, but he keeps finding his way back onto the roster. If another team is willing to pay that buyout money, it could be a clean break for the Phillies.
Why the Giants would want him
Kingery is the ultimate change-of-scenery candidate, and the Giants would be well-positioned to unlock whatever’s been missing from his game. He has options remaining, and his defense has remained solid throughout his offensive struggles. He’ll never be a star, and he’ll probably never be a regular, but think of him as a half-court shot at the halftime promotion of an NBA game. You’ll probably miss, but maybe you win the car.
And if you don’t win the car, think of Kingery as the coupons for a free hot dog that you get as a consolation prize. He would fit everywhere on the depth chart when the inevitable injuries start piling up, and there’s at least a chance that he’d be better than whatever alternative the Giants would otherwise come up with. Consider that he was pretty good in 2019, with 2.5 WAR and 19 home runs. We’ve all agreed that 2020 doesn’t count for anything, and his 2021 was wiped out by injuries. Maybe there’s some of that 2019 left in him.
Why it’s not going to happen
Kingery just might not be very good at baseball. At least, he might not be good enough to be a major leaguer. He hit just .230/.348/.371 in Triple A last season, with only seven home runs, and his batted-ball statistics have been frightful. He doesn’t hit the ball hard, which is beyond ominous when it comes to his future prospects.
Manager Gabe Kapler is familiar with him, and maybe he’ll vouch for him, but even a million dollars for a longshot like this is a stretch.
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Washington Nationals — Victor Robles
Why the Nationals would give him up
Another change-of-scenery candidate, Robles has been up with the Nationals for parts of the last six seasons, making his debut as a 20-year-old in 2017. Since his rookie season, though, he’s been a rotten hitter, with an OPS under .600. He’s in his arbitration years now, and the Nationals just might not win the NL East. They might as well see if there’s a lower-level prospect to poach from another team.
Why the Giants would want him
Robles’ OPS last season was .584. His WAR was 1.8.
Does that give you an idea of what kind of player Robles is? He can play the heck out of center field. He can chase balls down so well in the outfield that he can have a .273 OBP and still be a net positive for his team. He can throw. He can run. So many tools.
The Giants can use a plus-plus centerfielder. With the benefit of hindsight, they probably should have just kept Mauricio Dubón, but here’s their chance to make that right. Robles would be buried deep on the bench, but that’s a feature, not a bug. Get him into the late innings when the pinch-hitting dust has cleared, and let him roam center while Doval is going for a save. That would push Mike Yastrzemski and/or Austin Slater to a corner, and it would get a clunkier outfielder out of the game.
Why it’s not going to happen
Robles has been awful at the plate. So, so bad. Bad in a way that the Giants can’t abide, with low walk totals and high strikeout rates. Bad in a way that’s hard to be optimistic about, with some of the weakest contact in baseball. He’d be a perfect player for the 2008 Giants, but it would be too hard to hide his bat on a team that will need every last win to squeak into the postseason.
(Top photo of d’Arnaud: David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
