BREAKING NEWS: SF Giants trade acquire division rival superstar to a huge contract deal

Before the San Francisco Giants pulled off a major trade to acquire Rafael Devers, they were reportedly considering other options. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Giants and Seattle Mariners had been monitoring two Arizona Diamondbacks hitters: Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez.

Giants shift focus after landing Devers
The addition of Devers likely means San Francisco is no longer pursuing those targets. Earlier this season, LaMonte Wade Jr. served as the Giants’ everyday first baseman but struggled, was waived, and eventually dealt to the Los Angeles Angels.

The team brought in Dominic Smith to replace Wade Jr., and he’s made an early impact, putting up a .919 OPS with one homer and seven RBIs over 42 plate appearances. Smith’s performance has been an upgrade at first base, where the Giants had previously seen little production. Still, it’s unclear what his role will be moving forward now that Devers is in the mix.

San Francisco has a few options: they could keep Smith at first base, use Devers as the designated hitter, and bring Wilmer Flores off the bench—or flip Smith and Flores in that rotation. Either way, Devers’ presence strengthens their bench depth as well.

While Smith has performed well, his track record suggests he’s more of a stop-gap, and the Giants were likely planning to upgrade at first base before the trade deadline. Naylor would have been a logical target had the Diamondbacks decided to sell, but their current 36–35 record and .507 winning percentage keep them in the mix as potential buyers in the NL Wild Card race.

Realistically, trading with a division rival like Arizona might have been complicated. Alternatives such as Rhys Hoskins (Brewers) or Ryan O’Hearn (Orioles) might have been more attainable. As for Suárez, he didn’t fit the Giants’ needs as well—he’s a third baseman whose power numbers are inflated by playing at hitter-friendly Chase Field. Regardless, with the Devers trade complete, the Giants have likely addressed their biggest need.