Could San Francisco Giants Benefit From Reunion With Shortstop?

The San Francisco Giants could reunite with a former failed signing as they look to improve the middle of their infield.

Jun 9, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Paul DeJong (29) hits a three-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants are still sitting around .500, which means they could become buyers at the MLB trade deadline to prep for a playoff push.

If the Giants do add to their roster, one of the clear holes they could address is depth in the middle of their infield.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com examined the trade block to see who's stock is rising ahead of the deadline. One player who is helping himself out with some nice performances is Chicago White Sox shortstop Paul DeJong.

DeJong was with San Francisco less than a year ago when they signed him to a contract in August.

While in a Giants uniform, he played in 18 games with a slash line of just .184/.180/.286. It didn't last long, as they released him less than a month later.

He looks like a different player in 2024, though, resembling his All-Star campaign from 2019.

With the White Sox, he's slashing .236/.290/.483. He flashed power at the beginning of his career, but hasn't hit for at least 30 home runs since 2019. The return of that part of his game makes him worth a second look.

The 30-year-old is seeing the ball better this season, leading to more barrels than ever. His home run to fly ball ratio is the best in his career as well. He's also hitting less ground balls than ever.

Historically, he's been an above average defender at shortstop.

He's taken a step back so far this year, looking closer to average, but there is now hope he is returning to the player he normally is after some struggles.

It would be a rental trade that wouldn't cost as much as the other options on the market. The biggest names thrown around are Bo Bichette and Willy Adames, but they will either not be available. or will be too rich for how much San Francisco should be investing.

Thairo Estrada, Brett Wisely and Nick Ahmed are the current options in the infield. Marco Luciano and Casey Schmitt have had stints in the MLB but were just recently optioned back to Triple A.

DeJong offers much more power than anyone currently on the roster, which gives him a clear role even if he isn't an every day player.

That is also a fairly young group. Trading for another veteran would make sense as a bonus to the power upgrade.

As long as there isn't any bad blood from last year's stint, a trade for DeJong may be just was the Giants need.