The San Francisco Giants suddenly became buyers as they completed a massive deal with the Boston Red Sox.
No one expected the San Francisco Giants to be buyers, but they made a major splash in the final hour of the trade deadline.
The Boston Red Sox managed to pull themselves together this season, but not even Marcelo Mayer was safe from the trade block.
ESPN's Jeff Passan broke the news that Mayer is on his way to San Francisco in a blockbuster that undoubtedly sees the Giants have their Luis Arraez replacement.
It feels like days ago when Arraez was traded, but that's the beauty of the trade deadline.
Now, the Giants have a new infielder in Mayer, someone who is just 23-years-old and won't be a free agent for quite some time.
What did the Giants give up for Mayer?
Passan reported that reliever Erik Miller was all it took for the Giants to get Mayer, so this wasn't an overpay in the slightest.
Sure, Mayer is currently on the 10-day Injured List, but his potential is through the roof. Sometimes a change of scenery is all that's necessary, and this could be one that does wonders for Mayer's career.
The former No. 4 overall pick was dealt for a reliever who has four saves and a 2.76 ERA this season. Miller, 28, is a great left-handed bullpen addition to the Red Sox, but one will have to wonder if they'll be regretting this trade in the years to come.
Moving forward, the biggest question is whether the Giants lock up Mayer to a long-term contract extension.
Mayer helps the Giants get younger
The biggest goal for the Giants at this year's trade deadline was to get some major contracts off the books and get younger. So far, they've traded away stars such as Arraez, Heliot Ramos, and Robbie Ray, but now all of that has paid off in a big way.
Willy Adames and Rafael Devers may make this team regret those contracts for quite some time, but at the end of the day, Mayer is a player who could be a cornerstone of the direction they're heading in.
With Bryce Eldridge already contributing in a big way, there's no doubt Mayer should join him in what has suddenly become an extremely young and exciting squad.
Here in 2026, Mayer is hitting just .220 with a .594 OPS. Those numbers are far from ideal, but he's stuck dealing with a forearm injury that has kept him out of action since Thursday, June 25.
