San Francisco Giants Urged to Trade Top Hitter in Lineup

The San Francisco Giants could get a massive haul in return for one of their best hitters.

May 25, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; San Francisco Giants pinch hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. (31) hits an RBI single in the ninth inning to tie the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants have been playing much better baseball over the past week, giving them hope as they head into the second half of the season.

While it doesn't come as a surprise to see this veteran led team to start to figure it out, it also isn't enough to trust them. The Giants will need at least a month or two of above-average play before there can be serious talk about them being the team they were expected to be.

The trade deadline poses some questions for the front office, especially if they continue to sit in the middle of the pack. Perhaps they become buyers or sellers, but either way, that'll be decided by what they do over the next few weeks

David Schoenfield of ESPN listed what every team should do at the trade deadline, writing that San Francisco should trade Lamonte Wade Jr. to the Seattle Mariners.

"The Mariners do have an excellent farm system at the top with Colt Emerson, Cole Young and Harry Ford emerging as top-50 prospects and Lazaro Montes and Felnin Celestin as top-100 guys (and pitcher Logan Evans, one of the minors' top breakout performers).

"They have the need ... but do they have the willpower? Realistically, they need a first base/DH-type plus a corner outfielder. The less glamorous options might include Tommy Pham or Mark Canha, but I like Wade (hitting .326 with a .460 OBP) to give them some much-needed on-base skills."

Wade dealt with a hamstring injury that kept him out from May 27 to June 28, but he was one of the better hitters in the lineup before going down. Despite his lack of power, only hitting three home runs in 141 at-bats, he's slashing .326/.461/.440.

His OPS is one of the best in baseball due in large part to his OBP, but that doesn't take away anything that he's done at the plate.

If Wade hit for more power, he'd be viewed as one of the top first basemen in baseball.

But his lack of power allows the Giants to move him if they're interested in finding a replacement at the trade deadline or in the offseason who would bring them that.

As Schoenfield wrote, this could be the time to sell high on the left-handed hitting Baltimore native.

With the third Wild Card spot causing more teams to be buyers than usual, seeing who they could get for him might be the best option if they don't believe they can compete for a World Series this year.