2024 MLB Trade Deadline: The latest on the SF Giants

Jul 26, 2024, 10:32 AM | Updated: 10:32 am

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: Michael Conforto #8 and Mike Yastrzemski #5 of the San Franci...

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

With just a handful of days until the 2024 MLB trade deadline arrives, the San Francisco Giants are at a crossroads.

At 49-55, the Giants are currently 5.5 games behind the third and final National League Wild Card spot with 58 games remaining. All things considered, it’s been a disappointing season for the orange and black following a busy offseason that saw President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi spend $324 million on the likes of Blake Snell, Matt Chapman, Jung Hoo Lee, and Jorge Soler.

While San Francisco holds the fourth-easiest remaining strength of schedule in Major League Baseball, too much damage may have been done to this 2024 campaign.

It’s currently unknown if Zaidi plans to buy or sell before Tuesday’s 3:00 pm PDT trade deadline passes, but those with knowledge of the Giants’ thought process have revealed that multiple players are currently available or receiving interest on the trade market.

Michael Conforto drives one 440 feet for his 10th home run. 💪 pic.twitter.com/vD1OVpQjLg

— MLB (@MLB) July 7, 2024

More on the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline & the SF Giants

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, outfielders Michael Conforto and Mike Yastrzemski “are at least to some extent available” to interested teams, as is utility infielder Wilmer Flores.

Conforto, 31, will be a free agent at the end of this season following a two-year $36 million pact with the Giants that was signed before the 2023 season. The left fielder is hitting .226 with 10 home runs and 40 RBI over 80 appearances thus far in 2024.

Yastrzemski, the longest-tenured player on San Francisco’s roster, will enter his final year of arbitration at year’s end before entering free agency in 2026 at 35 years old. Over 85 games, the right fielder is batting .244 with eight home runs and 33 RBI.

The Giants hold a 2025 team option for Flores, who has posted the worst season of his career thus far in what has been an injury-plagued season.

While teams could come calling for San Francisco hitters, it’s reigning Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell that is generated plenty of interest on the trade market. According to The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly, the Giants are receiving plenty of interest in the left-hander as the MLB trade deadline nears:

The most important contract wrinkle involves left-hander Blake Snell, whom industry sources say is drawing significant trade interest after returning to his 2023 NL Cy Young Award-winning form over his past three starts. Snell signed a two-year, $62 million contract in March and his competitive balance tax (CBT) calculation of $29.7 million (which is slightly lower than his average annual guaranteed money because of salary deferrals) represents the largest input to the Giants’ CBT payroll at more than 12.5 percent.

But trading him would make a minimal dent in the Giants’ CBT number. That’s because the Giants and agent Scott Boras structured $17 million of Snell’s contract as a signing bonus payable in 2026 that is nontransferable to a trade partner. Snell’s actual salary this season is just $15 million, and trading him would trim only a prorated portion of that amount — a savings of less than $5 million.

The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly – July 25, 2024

Snell, who has also been bitten by the injury bug multiple times this season, has yet to secure a win over nine starts (0-3, 5.83 ERA).

The 31-year-old has looked sharper in recent weeks, having allowed just two runs and striking out 15 batters over three starts (18.0 innings) since returning from the injured list on July 9th.

If the Giants have a rough weekend against the Colorado Rockies, it could push Zaidi closer to the “sell” button as the 2024 season hangs in the balance.

Expect a large contingent of MLB scouts to be at Oracle Park on Saturday afternoon to watch Snell face the Rockies in what could be the pitcher’s final start in a San Francisco uniform.