The MLB trade deadline is less than two weeks away, and as things stand, the Giants are contenders. They are riding a seven-game win streak.
San Francisco is 1.5 games up at the top of the Wild Card standings and just 1.5 games back of the Dodgers for the NL West lead. The Angels, a team which resides in Anaheim, have been mostly bad this year, to the surprise of no one. They have not given Shohei Ohtani a playoff contending roster since he’s been there, and they currently sit 9.0 games back in the AL West and 4.5 games back of the last Wild Card spot.
They might lose Ohtani anyway in free agency, and if they’re going to miss the playoffs, why not get something for him at the deadline?
ESPN took that exercise and proposed trades for a number of potential Ohtani suitors.
For the Giants, they came up with this, from Jesse Rogers:
Proposed deal: LHP Kyle Harrison, SS Marco Luciano, LHP/DH Reggie Crawford, OF Mike Yastrzemski
It’s painful to give up two top-20 prospects in Harrison and Luciano, but a San Francisco trade for Ohtani isn’t just about 2023. This gives the Giants a leg up on signing him long-term. We already know they have money to spend — see their pursuits of Carlos Correa and Aaron Judge for evidence. The Angels get back a few home runs in Yastrzemski while the Giants open up a spot for Joc Pederson to play the outfield when Ohtani is the designated hitter. Putting Crawford in the deal just seems right considering he’s doing an Ohtani in High-A. Yes, I’m proposing a two-way player gets traded for another two-way player. Fun. — Jesse Rogers
Jeff Passan, their lead news breaker, responded by saying that the Giants should have to add in 2022 second-round pick and tantalizing lefty Carson Whisenhunt.
Whisenhunt has been stellar in the minors, posting a 2.63 ERA over three levels with a .174 opposing batting average. Here’s Passan’s take:
GM Jeff says … Not bad, but I want left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, too. And I suppose that’s my problem here. Trading for pitching prospects is scary, and this deal revolves around them. Yes, the Dodgers’ deal below does, too, but the volume — and Rushing being better than Luciano — exceeds the Giants’ offer, even if they were to include Whisenhunt. Remember, too, the Giants’ big league roster is extremely deep, and while I wouldn’t expect them to offer Patrick Bailey for a rental — even Ohtani — grabbing Luis Matos, Casey Schmitt or maybe Blake Sabol would turn this deal from an afterthought into a competitor.
It might be a lot, but would it be worth it if the Giants could parlay it into re-signing Ohtani long term and potentially competing for a championship this year with Ohtani on the roster?
There’s only one way to find out.