Giants Should Strongly Consider Pursuing These Three Players at Trade Deadline

Who should the San Francisco Giants go after?

Oct 1, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey reacts during an introductory press conference at Oracle Park | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

To the surprise of many outside the San Francisco Giants organization, this team is currently a contender in the National League.

Buster Posey did a great job during his first winter as president of baseball operations to augment this roster, landing Willy Adames and Justin Verlander as his high-profile additions.

Because of that, there aren't too many places that need to be upgraded.

Still, the Giants are going to be active ahead of the trade deadline to put together the best group that allows them to compete for an NL West division title in the second half of the year while also setting themselves up for a deep playoff run.

Here are three players San Francisco should target.

Sonny Gray

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a weird spot of wanting to sell off their high-priced players to start a bit of a rebuild, but also being in a place where they are competing right now.

How long that remains the case will be seen, and if they start to fall off, then Gray could be a target of multiple teams around the league despite the right-handed starting pitcher having a no-trade clause.

That aspect makes it tricky for the Giants since he has expressed his desire to stay with the Cardinals and has stated he won't waive it under any circumstance, but there's no doubt that adding the right-hander who's posted a 3.50 ERA through eight starts would be a major boost to San Francisco's rotation.

Kevin Gausman

A reunion with Gausman could be on the table for the Giants if the Toronto Blue Jays aren't able to fight their way into contention again this year.

He has another season left on his contract after 2025 that's worth $23 million, so this would be an investment by Posey to shore up the rotation in the present and for another year in the future.

However, Gausman would help out this starting unit and create a very solid group behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, giving San Francisco some insurance in case Justin Verlander hits a wall and the young arms go astray.

Kyle Finnegan

The Giants have one of the best relief units in Major League Baseball, but it never hurts to add another bullpen arm to the equation, especially with some question marks surrounding Ryan Walker and the past inconsistencies of Camilo Doval.

Finnegan isn't a perfect reliever by any means with major struggles in the second half of the year, but acquiring him would at least give San Francisco another high-leverage arm to utilize.

Since he was signed this offseason to a one-year deal, it wouldn't cost the Giants a ton to land him from the Washington Nationals.