Giants Baseball Insider

San Francisco Giants Linked as Trade Suitor for NL Rival's Versatile Infielder

The San Francisco Giants could be a trade suitor for a versatile infielder currently on one of their division rivals.

Kenneth Teape

Sep 15, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Diego Padres first base Jake Cronenworth (9) comes around to score during the tenth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
Sep 15, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Diego Padres first base Jake Cronenworth (9) comes around to score during the tenth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. / Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images
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The San Francisco Giants made one huge addition to their lineup this offseason, signing shortstop Willy Adames to a massive seven-year, $182 million contract, the largest in franchise history.

He provides the team with another impact bat for the lineup, something they were desperately lacking outside of third baseman Matt Chapman.

There is hope that second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald and outfielder Heliot Ramos will continue the excellent production they provided in 2024 and become stalwarts in the lineup for years to come.

Youngsters such as catcher Patrick Bailey and center fielder Jung Hoo Lee continuing their development would be big for the lineup to be taken to the next level as well.

Soon, their top prospect, first baseman Bryce Eldridge, will be joining the mix also with his power bat adding some more middle-of-the-order power to the mix.

However, if they want to be even more competitive in 2024 than they are currently projected, they should be keeping their eyes out for some upgrades for the lineup.

One player who could pique their interest, in the opinion of Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, is San Diego Padres versatile infielder Jake Cronenworth.

He has spent the majority of the last two seasons at first base, where the Giants are surprisingly running things back with LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores. But, he also has experience playing second base and third base, as he could provide Bob Melvin with some elite versatility off the bench.

Why Cronenworth makes sense for San Francisco is the price that it would cost to acquire him.

He is heading into Year 2 of a seven-year, $80 million extension that has not aged well since being agreed to. His production has slipped at the plate, as he has been barely a league-average producer with a combined 2.9 WAR.

That is certainly a serviceable amount of production, but for that price, the Padres aren’t getting quite the bang for their buck as they would like.

Moving him would essentially constitute a salary dump by San Diego, as the Giants could potentially bring back another asset, such as a lottery ticket prospect, for taking on the contract.

Given the current state of their farm system, adding a prospect with any kind of value would be a worthwhile addition for San Francisco.

Taking on that money shouldn’t be an issue for the Giants either with veterans such as Wade and outfielder Mike Yastrzemski entering their final years of team control. An approximate $11.4 million AAV certainly won’t break the bank.

And Cronenworth has a track record of performing at a high level.

He is a two-time All-Star who could add some solid pop to a lineup that is still short on established run producers.

Adding Cronenworth would help close the gap that exists between San Francisco and their divisional rivals.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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