The San Francisco Giants are looking to address a glaring need at third base, and Tampa Bay Rays’ star Evan Longoria has emerged as a serious candidate to fill the void.
The Giants have been linked to Longoria several times this offseason, and on Monday morning, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that San Francisco is once again tied to the 32-year-old infielder. Nightengale reported that if the Giants and the Rays were to strike a deal including Longoria, then Tampa Bay would need to assume either Denard Span or Hunter Pence’s contract in 2018.
The #SFGiants have keen interest in acquiring #Rays 3B Evan Longoria, but the Rays would have to take one of Giants' high-salaried players such as Hunter Pence or Denard Span to make it work.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 18, 2017
Longoria is under contract through the 2022 season and has a team option for 2023, and he’s scheduled to make $13.5 million next year. Both Span and Pence have contracts that are set to expire at the end of the 2018 season, but Pence has a full no-trade clause that would allow him to veto any deal that includes his name.
Span is a Tampa, Florida native and could give the Rays a one-year rental option as an additional outfielder if the team would be willing to assume the $11 million he’s owed next season. Pence is less likely to be involved in a trade, as he’s owed $18 million next year and would have to give the Giants his seal of approval to be involved in a swap.
Longoria is a career .270 hitter and coming off a down year in which he posted an OPS of just .737, but he did win his third career Gold Glove with Tampa Bay last season.