San Francisco Giants Need Serious Help, Could Trade for Division Rival Ace Help?

The San Francisco Giants could be just a move or two away from real contention.

Michael Brauner | Mar 14, 2025

Mar 11, 2025; Peoria, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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San Francisco Giants

It's a new era for the San Francisco Giants beginning this season, and there is clearly an urgency to win sooner rather than later.

Ownership let their displeasure be known with the firing of Farhan Zaidi following five missed postseasons during his six years at the helm, replacing him with someone who knows more than anyone what it takes to win in the Bay Area — franchise legend Buster Posey.

In his first offseason at the helm, Posey went out and gave the largest contract in franchise history to the Giants new franchise shortstop, showing he clearly has the license from his bosses to make aggressive moves in the pursuit of making the team better.

Of course locking down Willy Adames is nice, but the position San Francisco was widely expected to make a huge move was the starting rotation. Swapping out Blake Snell for 42-year-old Justin Verlander is not likely to improve things barring serious internal development and while there's no shortage of options for the Giants, there's no true alpha behind Logan Webb.

In fact, Webb is under really an unfair amount of pressure to carry this rotation once again, and though he is likely to have another strong season the group as a whole is a question mark.

What if Posey tried to do the unthinkable and make another supremely aggressive move which would vault San Francisco instantly into contention?

With less than two weeks to go until the start of the season, the Giants hated divisional rival San Diego Padres still seem to be entertaining the idea of trading away their superstar ace in Dylan Cease.

The right-hander - while he would not come cheap - would boost the San Francisco rotation from average at best to one of the best in baseball, giving the team something they have not had in a very long time.

Interest should not be a question here from the Giants perspective, they absolutely should have a ton of interest. The question however is asking price.

San Francisco does not have the kind of deep prospect pool teams they may be bidding against do, and the price may be even steeper due to the divisional ties. The one true Blue Chip prospect the Giants have is Bryce Eldridge, and while the Padres would likely try to pry him away, that's a scenario in which Posey should hang up the phone.

After getting Matt Chapman to re-sign for the long haul following a one-year deal, the fact Cease is a free agent next season should not scare San Francisco off if San Diego is willing to talk at least reasonably.

Cease is one of the most durable and reliable pitchers in all of baseball and would be the perfect compliment to Webb at the top of the staff if the Giants are willing to fork over what it would take to land him.

Make no mistake, it would be a major shock if this deal were to actually go down, but that doesn't mean San Francisco should not be giving it a real run.

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