From San Francisco Giants to Los Angeles Dodgers: 1 trade chip for every NL West team
The San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Diego Padres are a collective storm vying for California supremacy in the National League West. With no more than 5 1/2 games separating the three teams in the standings, it's shaping up to be a thunderous finish.
The opportunity to gain the upper hand makes the trade deadline potentially pivotal for each of these teams. All storms begin with a light-to-moderate sprinkle before escalating into the monsters they are. The MLB trade market is no different. There's a storm brewing in the transaction department. It may only be light sprinkles now in the form of minor, seemingly meaningless transactions. However, a string of minor deals this early is usually an indication of a buildup to a much larger trade hurricane ahead.
All teams in the NL West have good reasons to make changes or shakeups and each has very attractive trade chips to offer. With that in mind, here is one key trade chip for every NL West team.
Chris Taylor, Los Angeles Dodgers
It was difficult to pick only one, as the Los Angeles Dodgers have several valuable trade chips they could toss in (like Will Smith and Gavin Lux).
If the Dodgers are looking to bolster their offense or pitching depth, 31-year-old Chris Taylor could be the odd man out. A down season, coupled with the idea of a possible decline, could force the Dodgers to utilize him effectively in the trade market. It's not as if he's playing poorly by any means. In fact, his .257 average is on par with what we've come to expect. His power, however, has dipped slightly with only six home runs to his credit.
That doesn't change the fact that Taylor's still a valuable presence at the bottom of any lineup. For a Dodgers offense that already features big bats, a moderate shakeup to the order could see Taylor out of Los Angeles. Now, if the Dodgers are really looking to make an offensive splash, that could include Taylor, among other players hinted at earlier, depending on the return.
Thairo Estrada: San Francisco Giants
Many San Francisco Giants fans won't like this, but the 26-year-old Thairo Estrada could be one of the biggest trade chips if a major deal were to take place. Estrada has played well enough to earn himself a semi-regular starting job this season with the San Francisco Giants, but it's not just because of his work at the plate.
One of Estrada's most attractive attributes is his vastly underrated base running ability that often comes in key situations. He has yet to be caught stealing. For a San Francisco Giants' team that struggles on the basepaths, it wouldn't be ideal to rid themselves of one of the very few base-stealing threats on the team. The right return could change those priorities, though.
Thairo Estrada is 7-7 in stolen base attempts in 2022 #SFGiants
"Thairo Estrada is 7-7 in stolen base attempts in 2022 #SFGiants" - Jeff Young
His average of .274 this season is right on par with his identical average last season, and he's been a consistent bat in both the upper and lower batting order. Considering Estrada's lack of major league experience, his potentially higher ceiling could make him a valuable chip come deadline day.
Either way, 2022 could be the most pivotal deadline in recent memory for the orange men. Whether it's a big splash or no splash at all, what transpires at the deadline could chart the San Francisco Giants' course for the foreseeable future.
Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies
At age 35, Charlie Blackmon is slightly out of place on a Rockies squad that desperately needs youthful talent. Coming into this season, many experts projected the Rockies farm system to be among the bottom 10 in the league.
Blackmon's contract is set to expire at the end of 2023, so the Rockies may look to move him this season for a max return. With nine home runs and a .260 average this season, Blackmon could still attract a sizeable return.
At this point, the Rockies are looking for every asset they can add to their future arsenal of up-and-comers. One thing's for sure, Blackmon will attract the attention of several playoff-contending teams come deadline day.
Eric Hosmer, San Diego Padres
Some reports cited the San Diego Padres as actively pursuing suitors for first baseman Eric Hosmer this past off-season. His hot start cooled some of those rumors to start the season, but his most recent cold streak has reignited such talk.
good morning eric hosmer truthers https://t.co/5yeFY0T9mO
"good morning eric hosmer truthers" - alex (#1 padres fan)
The Padres hold the biggest potential trade chip for a blockbuster deal in Hosmer. If the Padres can get teams to overlook his most recent numbers, they could pull the trigger on a mid-season deal.
Joe Mantiply, Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are another team waiting for their youth movement to take over. This makes 31-year-old Joe Mantiply a high-end bargaining chip.
Mantiply's 0.41 ERA in 22 innings of relief makes him the most attractive asset to teams in desperate need of bullpen reinforcements. (Hello, San Francisco Giants!) His lights-out ERA is no fluke either, as his 18 strikeouts over 22IP indicate, most notably his nasty slider.
Joe Mantiply, Nasty 81mph Breaking Ball. 😨 https://t.co/mBJzz8uZPQ
"Joe Mantiply, Nasty 81mph Breaking Ball." - Rob Friedman
That makes Joe Mantiply one of the top trade chips in the D'backs system and in all of baseball.
The Wild, Wild West Showdown
The NL West is a wild chess match waiting for the other teams to blink. Even though the San Francisco Giants may appear like an outlier, we thought the same thing last season.
No, the Giants are not on the season-long tear they were on last season. This season, despite key injuries and offseason subtractions, they're still within striking range at 6.5 back of the Dodgers. In this Wild West showdown, we've seen enough twists and turns to give Lombard Street a run for its money. The prospect of a big trade deadline deal would only add to the thriller that is unfolding in the NL West race.