The San Francisco Giants have hit an offensive lull over their past 16 games. They have struggled to score over four runs in this stretch. Luckily, they’re still winning games due to their elite pitching staff, but clearly, this is a problem they need to solve. With one of the best bullpens in all of baseball and an elite starting rotation, they need to hit the trade market to find a player who can increase their offensive ceiling. If they can’t, then they’ll waste an elite pitching season from their staff.
Giants Trade Targets for the 2025 Season
1. Ryan O’Hearn
The Giants’ biggest need is at first base; amongst all 30 teams, the Giants currently have the seventh-worst wins above replacement at the position. LaMonte Wade Jr has struggled immensely this season, so much so that the Giants decided to DFA him this week. So a player like Ryan O’Hearn from the floundering Baltimore Orioles could be the perfect target for the Giants.Â
The Orioles are awful this year, so I’d expect them to be sellers at the deadline, and O’Hearn’s name could be in trade talks. The 31-year-old is on a one-year contract, making $8 million. It’s a short-term, low-risk target that could be a home run for the Giants. Currently, O’Hearn has a .951 OPS and is hitting for big power with a slugging percentage over .500. His expected stats are all through the roof as well, so it’s likely this hot start to the season isn’t just a fluke.
He has the positional flexibility to either play right field or first base for the team. He’d be a major bat to add to the lineup that could solve the offensive struggles this team is having.Â
2. Brandon Lowe
Tyler Fitzgerald came up to the big leagues and set records for the number of home runs he hit in such a short period. But he’s been unable to carry that power into this season. His expected stats on Baseball Savant show he’s not a good hitter. He has an expected batting average in the 10th percentile and an expected slugging percentage in the 13th percentile. His OPS has already dropped .100 points compared to last season, and it’s going to continue to fall. The Giants need to act and bring in someone more experienced who has the batting prowess that Fitzgerald does not.Â
Brandon Lowe, the Tampa Bay Rays’ current second baseman, could be a great trade target for the Giants. The Rays are still in a transition year of their rebuild before they compete for a championship again, and an older player making over $10 million would be a good option to sell off. Lowe has a club option after this season, so if the Giants don’t like what he did for them, they can cut bait and let him go. It’s a low-risk, high-reward option for the team that could give them the hitting boost they need.
 Lowe has hit 11 home runs this year and lands in the 76th percentile in expected slugging. He’s producing on the field, and the advanced stats say he’s going to keep it up. The majority of his expected batting statistics land above the 60th percentile. He’s an option that wouldn’t cost the Giants much to trade for, and he could produce at a high level for a team that has a shot at making the playoffs for the first time since 2021.Â
3. Brent Rooker
Brent Rooker is less explanatory as to why he’d be a great trade target, as he’s one of the best power hitters in all of baseball, hitting 39 home runs last year. He would fill into the designated hitter role for the Giants and dominate with his powerful bat. However, this option is somewhat less realistic.Â
The Athletics extended Rooker this offseason to a five-year 60 million contract. They would be reluctant to give him away after extending him this offseason, but once again, the Athletics are terrible, and Rooker is on the wrong side of 30. They could look to offload his money and avoid paying him late into his thirties. Rooker is a great option that would cost the Giants a lot in terms of high-ranking prospects, and they’d be saddled with a long-term contract, so this option is much more unlikely. But if it does happen, they’d get the best home run hitter they’ve had since Barry Bonds. Â
4. Ryan McMahon
Ryan McMahon is another trade option to improve at second base. McMahon is a great defender, he finished last season with seven outs above average. He has solid batting stats and has hit over 20 home runs in the past two seasons. He can bring a bit of power to a relatively weak position, as mentioned earlier. The Rockies should be sellers as they are on pace to be the worst team ever, so I doubt they keep guys in their thirties on their roster. McMahon would be a cheap trade target for the Giants that could improve a weaker position on the roster.Â
5. Yandy Diaz
Another Rays player has made the trade list in Yandy Diaz, who could fill the void the Giants have at first base. Diaz is a veteran power hitter who could contribute to this roster day one. His biggest attribute this season is the fact that he doesn’t strike out. His current strikeout percentage is 14 percent, which would be the third lowest on a roster that employs players who strikeout a lot. All of Diaz’s expected stats are above what he is currently doing, meaning a positive regression is on the horizon, and the Giants could be the beneficiaries of that.Â
Time to Make A Move
The Giants’ offensive struggles have dominated the narrative around this team, but on the other side of the coin is an elite pitching staff. The Giants need to target a trade piece that can elevate their overall offense to a level that’s serviceable enough to take advantage of this elite pitching season.
Main Image: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
