The San Francisco Giants did not make a splash at the Winter Meetings, but a big move could still be on the way.
Following a rather quiet Winter Meetings, the San Francisco Giants may be working on substantial moves behind the scenes.
According to The Athletic’s Katie Woo, the Giants are in the running to acquire St. Louis Cardinals All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan.
“The Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants have emerged as front-runners for St. Louis Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan, sources familiar with negotiations tell The Athletic, with the Cardinals looking to land multiple top prospects in a return,” Woo Wrote. The Cardinals, who are in the midst of a rebuild under first-year president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, have been shopping Donovan throughout the offseason. The Mariners have been linked to the 28-year-old infielder for several weeks, but a source described trade momentum as “picking up” since MLB’s Winter Meetings concluded Wednesday.”
“But the Giants could be just as aggressive in their pursuit. Several top prospects have been discussed in negotiations, including infielder Gavin Kilen and left-hander Carson Whisenhunt, according to a league source. It’s believed at least two organizational prospects will be required to land Donovan, who has acquired interest from over half the league.”
Donovan, 28, had a career year in his fourth MLB season. In 118 games, he logged a career-high batting average (.287) and hit ten home runs. His presence at the plate and solid defensive production led to his first All-Star selection.
However, a turf toe issue and a groin strain culminated in a stint on the injured list in August that ended his season. In October, he underwent sports hernia surgery.
According to Woo, another All-Star second baseman remains in the Giants’ line of sight.
“Both Seattle and San Francisco also remain engaged in trade talks with Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte, with the Giants exploring all options — both via trade and free agency — at second base,” she added.
Marte had a big year for the otherwise underperforming Diamondbacks. The 32-year-old hit 28 home runs, which ranked second among players at his position behind Brandon Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees, who tied for first place with 31 each.
Adding either Donovan or Marte would provide a big offensive boost for the Giants, who ranked 25th in batting average last season (.235), 26th in hits (1,261) and 22nd in OPS (.697), all of which played a big part in another mediocre season and missed playoff opportunity. The addition of either one would give first-year manager Tony Vitello a great roster piece to work with.