The San Francisco Giants are off to a slow start this season. They came close to reaching the postseason last year, but ultimately fell short and look like they are about to fully fall out of the race. They sit at 14-21 and are in fourth place in the National League West, eight games back of the first place Los Angeles Dodgers and six games back of the third NL wild card spot.
If they can’t turn things around, then perhaps they could ultimately turn into sellers at the trade deadline. They have a few pieces on expiring contracts that they could potentially move.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com lists left-hander Robbie Ray as one potential piece that they could move on from.
“Robbie Ray is slated to become a free agent this winter, giving the Giants a potential arm to deal in July (if not earlier),” Feinsand wrote.
Giants’ Robbie Ray Named Possible Trade Chip
Unlike the Giants as a whole, Ray himself is off to a pretty solid start this season. He is 2-4 but has posted a 2.95 ERA in his seven starts and has averaged 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings. The two-time All-Star is somebody the Giants could do well for at the deadline.
Rental starting pitching often comes in high demand, and while he is still owed some money, the Giants can still bring back some solid prospects for him to set themselves up for the future.
Ray likely will not be back in 2027 barring a contract extension, which likely won’t happen considering where the Giants are in the standings. They are falling out of the race early this season, and while there is still time to turn things around, they need to figure things out quickly to avoid being buried.
If they can’t come out of their funk, then it makes sense for them to trade Ray to a contender and see if they can cash in on his value before he hits free agency. The Giants don’t have a lot working in their favor early on this season.
They have scored the fewest runs in Major League Baseball, and their starting rotation has posted a 4.26 ERA.
There are a lot of things that need to be corrected if they want to stay in the race, but it would at least be good for them to try to get something in return for Ray, given that he has been one of their best pitchers this season and is a free agent at the end of the year.
Giants Have Big Hill to Climb
It’s still early in the season, but time is running out to turn things around. The Giants have to climb over the Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks to get to the top of the NL West.
This is why trading Ray ultimately makes sense. That would allow the Giants to focus on the future rather than trying to push the chips for 2026. They haven’t engaged in a rebuild yet, but it might be time for them to consider it.
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