What possible Mike Trout-to-Giants trade package might look like

If the Giants are looking to make a splash this offseason, they should consider targeting a Los Angeles Angels superstar for a potential trade.

While the Giants are expected to pursue Shohei Ohtani, the two-way phenom and AL MVP frontrunner, there is another star who might be leaving Anaheim.

Early in September, Bob Nightengale reported that the Angels were open to trading their outfielder and three-time AL MVP, Mike Trout, if he wanted to leave the team.

During the 2023 MLB season, Trout was asked about the possibility of requesting a trade in the offseason. Although he hadn’t thought about it, he expressed his desire to have conversations with the front office about the organization’s future before making a decision.

With the increasing likelihood of Ohtani leaving in free agency, it’s possible that Trout might also request a trade. This raises the question: What would it take for the Giants to acquire this perennial superstar?

In his latest column, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter proposed five “wild” MLB trade ideas and suggested a blockbuster deal between the Giants and the Angels, involving Trout.

Reuter’s proposed trade:

Giants receive: OF Mike Trout, $95 million
Angels receive: OF Mitch Haniger, LHP Kyle Harrison, RHP Carson Seymour

While this trade might not realistically happen, it provides a framework for what the Angels could seek in return.

If the Angels decide to trade Trout and lose Ohtani, they would likely aim to clear payroll. Trout signed a $426 million contract extension with the Angels in March 2019, which is a financial burden considering the team also signed Anthony Rendon to a costly seven-year, $245 million contract in free agency.

Trout is owed a total of $248 million through the 2030 season, and the Giants receiving $95 million alongside Trout seems unlikely.

As one thinks more about this trade, it resembles the New York Yankees’ acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins five years ago. Stanton, like Trout, had a no-trade clause and a significant amount remaining on his contract. The Yankees took on most of Stanton’s contract, while the Marlins received a modest package of prospects in return.

Trout, even though he is older than Stanton was at the time of the trade, has a better track record and should command a higher price. While Reuter correctly suggests that the Angels might want pitching prospects, they could also seek young corner infielders instead of Haniger.

While it’s impossible to know the exact trade criteria for Trout, here is a more realistic package:

Giants receive: Mike Trout, $30 million
Angels receive: LHP Kyle Harrison, RHP Mason Black, 3B Casey Schmitt

This trade provides the Angels with two potentially MLB-ready starting pitchers in Harrison and Black, an everyday third baseman in Schmitt, and financial relief from a contract that may become burdensome in the future.

Trout has been the best player in baseball for over a decade, and despite his recent injury history and the large financial commitment, he would undoubtedly bring star power to the Giants. The price tag for interested teams might be lowered due to these factors.

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