The San Francisco Giants head into the offseason having missed the postseason in seven of the last eight years.
It’s the beginning of a new era as former president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi is out and Buster Posey is in. The hope is that the legendary catcher and future Hall of Famer will be able to take San Francisco back to the winning ways of his heyday in the early 2010s.
In the pursuit of getting better quickly, spending the most money to acquire the biggest stars in free agency is one option, and the Giants expect to be active. But there are splashes to be made in the trade market as well.
San Francisco has several needs. But one area in which the Giants look particularly vulnerable is the right side of the infield.
Second base could be a question mark as to whether Tyler Fitzgerald moves over — a likely occurrence if the Giants acquire a shortstop — or Casey Schmitt steps up.
First base could become a mystery if LaMonte Wade Jr. is traded as has been reported as a possibility.
One player who could help the Giants tremendously is Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com named Lowe — who can also play first -— as the second baseman on his recent ‘all-rumor’ team.
“Lowe’s salary makes him a candidate to be moved by the Rays. The 30-year-old has missed more than 50 games in each of the past two seasons but managed to hit 21 home runs in both years. The Rays exercised their $10.5 million contract option for 2025, but they could look to move Lowe to free up payroll or address other areas of the roster.”
Feinsand wrote that Lowe’s likelihood to be traded is lower than other players on his list. But if the Rays want to shed more salary and give up a player who is under team control for the next two years, he could be a valuable asset on the trade market.
Though Lowe has only played just over 100 games in each of the last two seasons, the seven-year veteran and two-time Top-10 finisher in AL MVP voting has a WAR (wins above replacement) over 2.0 and an OPS over .770 in the previous two years. In addition, 21 home runs in two seasons in which he missed more than 50 games projects Lowe as a potential 30-home run hitter when fully healthy.
It remains to be see if Lowe actually ends up on the trade block. But if he does, he is certainly someone San Francisco should pursue.
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