The notion of landing Shohei Ohtani at the trade deadline is enough to make Giants fans salivate, but it’s probably not the most likely scenario. Ohtani would cost a bunch of prospects and is going to have a ton of suitors. Not to mention, he’s a two-month rental, and the typically risk-averse Giants haven’t been the type of team under Farhan Zaidi likely to execute such a move.
That said, there will be many other players to be had if San Francisco is looking to improve. John Lund broke down some of those names on KNBR Monday, and pointed out four teams that might make good trade partners with the Giants.
Via Lund:
The Cubs are not in it. Two names: Marcus Stroman, you need a starter, you need a 1A, and I know, you might want to vomit, Cody Bellinger. Bellinger’s having a great year. I’m just looking for a bat. I know everybody is like ‘Get an infielder, get an infielder, get an infielder.’ Why don’t you just get a bat and work it out? That’s what the Giants do. They get guys and they work it out.
The Cardinals have a guy like Jack Flaherty who is a free agent at the end of the year. They have infield options. You’ve got to call the Cardinals.
The White Sox have Lucas Giolito. They have Tim Anderson who’s not having a good year. Both those guys are up at the end of the year.
The Mets. I don’t want Scherzer or Verlander. I want nothing to do with those contracts and neither do the Giants. They have a Japanese pitcher by the name of Kodai Senga. If you’re trying to kind of do two things at once, Kodai Senga is a nice pitcher who made the All-Star Game, and of course he’s Japanese, could he help you attract Shohei Ohtani in the offseason? I don’t know.
Catch Papa & Lund weekdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on KNBR 104.5 / 680 and streaming live on KNBR.com.
