The San Francisco Giants have been looking for star-level players for a few years now.
After their successful 2021 campaign in which they won the NL West, they have had a foundation to compete if they added some power to their roster.
They tried with Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa, and were able to sign Blake Snell, Jorge Soler, Jung-Hoo Lee, and Matt Chapman ahead of this season.
At 33-34, however, they still need a bona fide star, a player who can carry the team and take it to the postseason and beyond.
That player, according to insider Tim Kawakami, is Mike Trout.
The San Francisco Giants should try to trade for Mike Trout, all of his remaining money and take on all of that risk right now.
Because this is when they might really, really, really be able to get him, writes @timkawakami.
Read more: https://t.co/ewsCYx9ACH pic.twitter.com/s9PxftUMtD
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 11, 2024
Trout signed a huge 12-year, $426.5 million contract ahead of the 2019 season.
That means he is under contract with a huge salary for six more years after 2024.
That makes any trade incredibly complicated, but if the Giants had money to offer Judge already in his thirties, they could also entertain the possibility of bringing in the 32-year-old superstar.
Also complicating matters is the fact Trout recently underwent surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee.
He is expected to return in 2024, although it could still be a while.
Maybe Trout won’t get the Angels the prospect return they hope, but the financial flexibility they could get would be massive.
San Francisco should be prepared to absorb most of the contract.
Before going down in late-April, Trout was sporting an excellent .867 OPS with a major league-leading 10 homers and six steals in 29 games.
He could be a worthwhile gamble for the Giants, a team in need of at least one or two true stars.
