It appears as though the first official seller of trade season has declared itself.
The Giants have let it be known to other clubs that they are open for business, as multiple sources said San Francisco has told teams that a number of veterans are available – with Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman and Willy Adames among those on the list.
The three infielders, all of whom are signed for multiple years at significant money, were supposed to help transform the Giants into a contender in the NL West, but San Francisco entered Tuesday at 29-43, 16 1/2 games behind the first-place Dodgers and 8 1/2 games out of the final NL Wild Card position.
“They are in a tough spot,” an NL executive said.
The three contracts figure to be the biggest obstacle for the Giants, as each of the three players are set to earn nine figures over the remainder of their respective deals.
Adames (age 30)
2026 statistics: .228/.273./416, 11 HR, 29 RBI, 1.0 bWAR
Remaining contract: Five years, $140 million between 2027-2031; he’s earning $10 million this season and has a full no-trade clause.
Chapman (age 33)
2026 statistics: .260/.346/.412, 7 HR, 40 RBI, 3.2 bWAR
Remaining contract: Four years, $100 million between 2027-2030; he’s earning $25 million this season and has a full no-trade clause.
Devers (age 29)
2026 statistics: .234/.294/.411, 9 HR, 33 RBI, 0.2 bWAR
Remaining contract: Seven years, $211 million between 2027-2033 ($52.5 million of which is deferred); he’s earning $27.5 million this season ($7.5 million of which is deferred).
Are any of the three movable given their hefty contracts?
“Not without attaching serious value to them,” said an NL executive.
Sources said the Giants have no plans to trade ace Logan Webb or any of their young players, putting president of baseball operations Buster Posey in a tricky spot. Without including prospects or young Major League talent in a trade to entice another club into taking on a big contract, the Giants could have trouble moving any of the big three.
Two rival executives believe Chapman is the only one of the high-priced trio that could be dealt, and even then, the Giants might have to pay down some of his salary to get anything meaningful in return.
“Third base is a more scarce position and he’s been OK, so they have a chance to move him,” one of the execs said. “All I know is that the other two? No chance.”
“I think Chapman is still seen as productive,” another executive said. “It depends on how much money they are willing to eat.”
Ironically, the Giants’ best trade chip might be Luis Arraez, who could have been had by any club this offseason. The 29-year-old remained on the free-agent market until Feb. 10, when he signed a one-year, $12 million deal with San Francisco.
Arraez is hitting .324 with a .798 OPS and 26 RBI in 70 games, reestablishing himself as a plus defender at second base (his 10 Outs Above Average this season place him in the 99th percentile of the league).
Left-hander Robbie Ray, who is earning $25 million in the final year of his contract, could also be an appealing trade asset for clubs seeking mid-rotation help. Ray, the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner, owns a 4.42 ERA in 14 starts (73 1/3 innings) this season.
“Arraez should be easy for the Giants to move,” an AL executive said. “It’s not a huge financial commitment for the rest of the season and he’s been a valuable piece on both offense and defense this year.”