SF Giants Urged to Acquire $30 Million ‘Perfect Trade Target’ to Bolster Lineup

Getty Giants manager Bob Melvin could use more punch in his lineup. Could Cubs OF/1B Cody Bellinger be a possible option to help?

The San Francisco Giants have underperformed so far in 2024, evidenced by their 43-45 record. However, they’re still within three games of the final National League Wild Card spot heading into July 5 games. That could urge president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi to buy at the trade deadline. If San Francisco does, could Chicago Cubs outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger be an option?

Sports Illustrated’s Evan Massey thinks the 2019 NL MVP Award winner is a “perfect trade target” for the Giants. “While there is certainly no guarantee that Bellinger will be traded, he would be a perfect target for the Giants,” he said. “If they want to make a quality addition to their lineup, they should try to call Chicago and see if they can get something done for the former MVP.”

The Cubs have continued to spiral out of the postseason chase and toward being a seller at the deadline. They’ve gone 5-9 since June 21 and own a 41-48 record. Bellinger is hitting .274/.335/.425 with nine home runs and 37 RBI through 322 plate appearances this season.

Bellinger Is a Short- & Long-Term Fit for the Giants

If the Giants aim to make a playoff push, Bellinger would hypothetically be a meaningful upgrade. Heliot Ramos has been huge for San Francisco, hitting .298/.373/.530 with 12 homers, 40 RBI and 24 runs scored in 225 plate appearances. He’s also received most of the playing time in center field with offseason acquisition Jung Hoo Lee on the injured list.

But still, it’s not as if Bellinger couldn’t find multiple roles to fill by the Bay. His versatility would give manager Bob Melvin plenty of options when making his daily lineup. The 28-year-old has appeared in 80-plus innings at first base, center field and right field in 2024. Bellinger’s presence could make it more of a fluid situation between him, Ramos, Michael Conforto and Mike Yastrzemski in the outfield.

The left-handed slugger is making $30 million this season, the first of a three-year, $80 million deal he signed with the Cubs in February. His contract contains two opt-outs – one after 2024 and again after 2025, per Spotrac.

If Bellinger decides to re-test free agency in the winter, it’d give San Francisco more flexibility to make other offseason moves. If he decides to opt in for 2025, it’d give the Giants a solid contributor without making a long-term financial commitment.

What Concerns Could Interested Teams Have About Bellinger?

Trade rumors have intensified regarding Bellinger as the Cubs continue their freefall from contention. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma shared two concerns interested teams could have in the left-handed hitter.

Scouts cited Bellinger’s $30 million salary to Sharma, noting it could impede Chicago from getting much in return. Of course, the Cubs could offer to pay more of his current salary to improve any potential prospect haul. They could also offer to do the same if Bellinger opts into future years. Another concern resides with the 28-year-old’s peripheral stats.

“But the dip in power has brought real concerns for teams,” he said. “There were already questions about his quality-of-contact issues even after last season’s bounce-back. With these results, those remain even as his exit velocity and barrel rate have ticked up ever so slightly this season.”

A scout also told Sharma it’s possible a contender desperate to make a big splash could overlook these concerns. It remains to be seen if the Cubs will sell at the deadline. If they do, Bellinger’s name will continue popping up in the rumor mill.