The San Francisco Giants are not where they expected to be heading into 2026. After hiring a rookie manager Tony Vitello, president of baseball operations Buster Posey hoped he would be the one to lead them back to the playoffs.
They looked like they had the lineup to do it. With Willy Adames, Rafael Devers and Matt Chapman, it looked like the Giants had one of the best infields on paper. On the other side of the ball, San Francisco hoped to rely on Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and a couple other veterans they brought in over the offseason.
Well so far, they’ve fallen flat on their face. Ahead of Monday night’s game, they sit at 27-39, fourth place in the NL West and 15 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nothing has gone right after slow starts from nearly the entire lineup, an injury that kept Logan Webb out for a few weeks and a woeful bullpen.
With them being out of the division race already, the Giants will be selling at the trade deadline once again. They’ve already shipped off Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey to Cleveland, but they still have a few chips they can play with.
Although there has been speculation about San Francisco wanting to part ways with big stars like Rafael Devers and Matt Chapman, that seems unlikely that this point. However, they do have two very nice rental players that contenders could be interested in.
The first is second baseman Luis Arraez. It’s been a weird year for the three-time batting champion. He had virtually no market this offseason, despite having success in the past. He had his deficiencies, such as a big lack of power and no real defensive home, but he’s changed the narrative on him quickly this season.
Most knocks on Arraez were that despite his elite bat-to-ball skills, he had been a league average hitter with no pop over the last two seasons. His calling card was his ability to hit for a high average, but he was coming off a .292 average in San Diego.
WIth little interest in him, the Giants signed him to a one year, $12 million deal and it’s worked wonders. He’s going to fight for another batting title with his current .323 average and he’s boosted his slugging from .392 to .431. His 128 OPS+ puts him more in line with the four bWAR player he was in Minnesota and Miami.
Not only that, but he’s playing excellent defense at second. Under the instruction of infield coach Ron Washington, he’s improved his OAA from the fourth percentile in 2025 to the 99th this season, according to Baseball Savant.
Combine the bat to ball skills with the Gold Glove caliber defense and he could make for an intruiging top of the order rental for a team who needs some contact at the top of the lineup.
Robbie Ray is another player who could be on the block for the Giants. He is in the last year of his five year, $115 million deal he signed with Seattle before the 2022 season. The former Cy Young winner was an All-Star in 2025 and has been as reliable as ever this season.
In his age 34 season, Ray has thrown 67.2 innings with a 4.12 ERA and 63 strikeouts. His ERA would be lower if not for one blow up start against Arizona in May where he allowed nine earned runs in 4.1 innings.
The Giants bounced back and won his next three starts and Ray has been able to bring the ERA back down.
He’s had issues with control this season, walking 4.8 batters per nine and has starts of seven, four and five walks. That’s always been part of the deal with Ray though, is taking the lumps with command for great stuff from the left side.
He’s not the same pitcher he was five years ago and the strikeout numbers have dwindled during his time in San Francisco, but the fact is that he’s a lefty with good stuff, which will always be in demand. If a team needs one more starter to get over the hump in the playoffs, Ray could be what they’re looking for.
A trade of either player isn’t gauranteed, but with the way the season has been going for the Giants, selling at the deadline seems to be the direction they’re going.
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