MLB Rumors: Giants trade idea if San Francisco strikes out in free agency again

Free agency has been none too kind to the San Francisco Giants of late. Last offseason alone, the Giants, despite trying to be aggressive, came up empty handed with their top targets. Aaron Judge was offered the world, but really only used that as leverage to come back to the Yankees. Carlos Correa, meanwhile, was a complete debacle that multiple teams, including the Giants, were burned by.

But that's not stopping Farhan Zaidi from trying again in the 2023-24 offseason. All indications leading up to the Winter Meetings coming at the start of December have been that the Giants will once again try to make a splash in free agency. Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, and virtually every big name on the open market have been connected to San Francisco already.

However, if the Giants were to whiff again on the free agent market, perhaps they can still make a splash.

Discussing starting pitchers who could be traded this offseason, Jordan Shusterman of FOX Sports called the Giants one of the best fits for a Shane Bieber trade. The Guardians' M.O. has been for some time that they cut ties before a player gets too expensive. Bieber is in the final year of club control with Cleveland, and with a young, talented staff with him already, he could be shipped off. And the Giants would make sense.

"They don't have an ultra-deep farm to deal from, but I could see the Giants pursuing Bieber as an excellent alternative in the unfortunate scenario that they once again whiff at the top of the free-agent market," Shusterman wrote.

While the lack of a deep farm system might keep the Giants out of the market for guys like Glasnow, Dylan Cease, Corbin Burnes or other top trade candidates, a one-year contract like Bieber could come cheaper, which might play right into San Francisco and Zaidi's hands.

MLB Rumors: Red Sox dream signing named Yoshinobu Yamamoto by insider

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Boston Red Sox fan who isn't aware that new Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow needs to make some big changes and big splashes this offseason. Perhaps in a dream world, that might mean Shohei Ohtani calling Fenway Park home. And while that may be on the table, there is also perhaps a more prudent high-end free agent that the Red Sox could pursue, another Japanese star: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan broke down 10 teams fascinating him in the 2023-24 offseason as the Winter Meetings approach and the Red Sox were listed among them. With Breslow at the helm now and a dire need for starting pitching, Passan surmised that Yamamoto would be the "perfect" target for Boston.

"With a current payroll of just over $150 million and Sale set to hit free agency after the season, Boston has room and need for a frontline starter," Passan wrote. "While there are plenty of options, one in particular fits the Red Sox best -- though to get him, they'll need to run the risk of waiting, as he's not expected to sign until after next week's Winter Meetings, by which point other starters will have come off the board."

The 25-year-old Yamamoto is coveted by just about every MLB team that can afford him as he makes his way to the United States from the NPB in Japan. He's going to command a monster payday, but the Red Sox have the money to make that happen and compete with any other franchise to help lure him to Boston.

On top of that, a recent report stated that Yamamoto wants to play with another Japanese player, which is a box the Red Sox would check after signing Masataka Yoshida last offseason. So if the Red Sox do want to make a monster splash, then Yamamoto might be the most likely and best-case scenario for Breslow and Co.

MLB Rumors: Cardinals, Cubs named best fits for Tyler Glasnow trade

One of the big potential MLB trade candidates this offseason is the Tampa Bay Rays' former Cy Young winner, Tyler Glasnow. Though he's dealt with his share of injuries in his career, he's been a star on a relatively manageable contract (roughly $25 million AAV) for someone of his talent. And the Cillian Murphy doppëlganger figures to be in high demand for any team willing to take on the salary as the Rays, like they always do, aim to get a beat cheaper on the payroll.

But who are the favorites for a Tyler Glasnow trade?

Jordan Shusterman of FOX Sports broke down possible best fits for Glasnow this offseason and two potential NL Central contenders (and rivals) came to the forefront: the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. Shusterman asserted that, if both clubs come up empty in free agency with their top targets, then they'd be willing to take on the $25 million salary for Glasnow to fortify their respective rotations.

"If they miss out on their preferred free-agent targets, the Cardinals and Cubs each look like great landing spots for Glasnow. I could also see the Rangers pursuing a high-end arm as a short-term solution like Glasnow instead of committing to a high-priced free agent for the long haul."

So that isn't to say that the Cubs and Cardinals aren't going to make Glasnow their first priority, however, they could be in the mix if the chips fall as they may in free agency.

For me, the Cubs seem like the likelier trade destination unless the Rays are enamored with St. Louis' glut of outfielders that they believe they could pry away from the Cards in a Glasnow trade. Otherwise, the team that has already committed $48 million to Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson might not want to invest that heavily in a trade.

With the Cubs having been quiet to this point, however, they may need to pull a rabbit out of the hat. A Glasnow trade could be that bunny.