One Trade the Giants Could Still Make Before Opening Day

The San Francisco Giants have five days before their opening day against the New York Yankees and one more trade couldn’t hurt.

Trades are rare this time of year. Most teams are hopeful that the moves they made in the offseason bear fruit. Or, that top young prospect, like Bryce Eldridge, for example, will pay off.

Now, he’s not going anywhere. The Giants love him as a player and if teams were unable to pry him away in trade in the offseason, it’s not happening now. San Francisco doesn’t many acute needs on its roster, save one — left-handed reliever.

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Here’s one trade the Giants could make right now that would help.

A Trade to Help Giants Left-Handed Relief

San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Gage throws a baseball — San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Gage. | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

San Francisco has three veteran left-handed options, but only one has been healthy or with the Giants all of spring training — Matt Gage. Erik Miller is quickly trying to ramp up from an elbow injury last season. Joey Lucchesi just joined the roster a couple of weeks ago but is a non-roster invitee.

The Giants could use more coverage there. But to make a trade this time of year, San Francisco would have to identify a pitcher that is “gettable” for them, one with a low-cost contract who is probable free agent next offseason. That keeps the cost in trade low for San Francisco. One reliever comes to mind — Drew Pomeranz.

Now with the Los Angeles Angels, the left-handed reliever is coming off an exceptional 2025 with the Chiago Cubs in which he went 2-2 with a 2.17 ERA in 57 games. He struck out 57 and walked 15 in 49.2 innings. He’s healthy after a long road back from injuries, including surgery for a torn left flexor tendon that caused him to miss two MLB seasons. He only makes $4 million this year so San Francisco can get him for cheap.

The Angels don’t have the look of contenders in 2026. They play in a division with Seattle, which won the AL West and reached the AL Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Before that, the Houston Astros had won seven of the previous eight division titles. The Texas Rangers won the World Series in 2023 and have their eye on getting back to the playoffs.

Los Angeles may trade Pomeranz at some point. But it’s worth San Francisco’s time to explore the trade now because of the need on the left-hand side. It’s possible the Giants may only have one left-handed reliever on opening day. A trade for Pomeranz would give them a second that’s ready to deliver now.