Should San Francisco Giants Trade for Los Angeles Angels Star Slugger?

The San Francisco Giants offense could use some help, they could look to the Los Angeles Angels for some help.

Dylan Sanders | May 4, 2024

Apr 30, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels third baseman Luis Rengifo (2) celebrates / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants offense has not lived up to the hype so far in 2024, what could they do for an influx midseason?

As MLB Trade Rumor's Darragh McDonald looked at the Los Angeles Angels roster for who could be on their way out, one name stood out.

Luis Rengifo's bat has been on fire to start 2024 as he is currently slashing .330/.378/.462. He will have another year of arbitration after this and could be an intriguing name to watch for San Francisco.

The Giants have not gotten much from the middle of their infield this season. Nick Ahmed is batting .242 and Thairo Estrada is batting .239. Even Matt Chapman at third base is batting just .220. Those are all positions that Rengifo could compete at.

Estrada is the only one that has team control past this season, which could be another reason to look for help on the trade market.

Of course, Rengifo has gotten a bit lucky at the plate this season. His xBA entering Friday was down at .240, which is a big difference from his actual numbers. He is normally someone that outperforms his expected numbers, but there's not usually that much of a gap.

The switch-hitter might be viewed as false goods, but even a regression would have him outperforming the other bats on the roster right now.

He would also be a clear step down on the defensive side of the ball over what San Francisco has right now, but that is a conversation focused around what the team needs more.

If the price is right, the 27-year-old would certainly be an intriguing add, but the Giants should avoid overpaying for him. If he crashes back down to earth right after trading for him, the move would certainly be looked down.

Luis Arraez is a similarly aged player with a similar contract. The San Diego Padres traded a reliever and three prospects outside of the MLB's Top 100. Rengifo would likely fetch a little bit less and at that point it may be smart to pull the trigger for the slugger.

Published May 4, 2024

DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders