The San Francisco Giants have made it clear: Jung Hoo Lee is staying. Heliot Ramos? He’s available.
That’s the word out of the front office as the August 3 trade deadline approaches, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. For a team sitting at 44-60 in fourth place in the National League West, there aren’t many untouchables. But Lee, it seems, is one of them.
Ramos has nine homers and 31 RBI this season with a .262 average and a .737 OPS. Those numbers are respectable, and at 24 years old he still has upside. But the Giants are listening on him. That makes sense for a club that needs to restock a thin farm system and doesn’t see itself competing anytime soon.
Lee, meanwhile, has been a bright spot. The 25-year-old outfielder is hitting .302 with six homers and six stolen bases. He showed exactly why on Saturday, going deep and making a couple of highlight-reel plays in the outfield during a 9-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels. After the game, manager Tony Vitello called it a show in all facets of the game.
Why Lee Stays and Ramos Goes
It’s not just about numbers. Lee is under team control through 2027 on the six-year, $113 million deal he signed last winter. Trading him now would mean eating a massive contract and admitting the rebuild is starting over. Ramos, on the other hand, is arbitration-eligible after this season and his value is probably as high as it’s been.
The Giants have been characterized by analysts as one of the bigger sellers at the deadline. Their record backs that up. But even sellers have to keep a few pieces around to sell tickets and give fans a reason to watch.
Infielder Rafael Devers acknowledged the situation without getting into front office politics. “We’re aware that our record is not very positive as far as adjustments that maybe the front office is going to make,” he said. “It’s something that I don’t think about … it’s something that they’re going to have to think about, but we’re just concentrating on what we can control.”
That’s about as diplomatic as you can get when your team is 16 games under .500.
What the Giants Could Get for Ramos
Ramos isn’t a star, but he’s a solid everyday corner outfielder with power potential. Contenders looking for a left-handed bat off the bench or a platoon option could make sense. The Giants aren’t likely to get a top-100 prospect for him, but they could land a couple of interesting lottery tickets or a major league ready arm.
The team has five wins in its last 10 games, which is progress from where they were a month ago. But that’s not going to change the calculus. The Giants need to rebuild, and the deadline is the time to start.
San Francisco plays the Angels again Sunday. After that, the clock really starts ticking.
Leave a Comment