One trade, one signing the Giants should make

After a fourth-place finish in the National League West last season, the San Francisco Giants have been trying to find ways to improve on their disappointing 79-83 record from 2023. They made their first offseason splash by signing outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year contract and are still in the market for more. With the Los Angeles Dodgers making multiple big moves this offseason, the Giants will need all the help they can get to compete in the loaded NL West division. 

Below are one trade and one signing the Giants should make this offseason.  

Trade: Acquire second baseman Jonathan India from the Cincinnati Reds

While the Giants already have Thairo Estrada penciled in to start at second base, acquiring the 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Award winner would give the Giants a much-needed quality bat that doesn't always need to be on the field to have an impact. 

In his three MLB seasons, India has slashed .255/.350/.419 with 125 extra-base hits, 224 runs scored and 171 RBI across 372 games played. The 27-year-old is a versatile enough athlete to play another position after playing third base during his time at the University of Florida.

Although he is said not to be on the trade market, the Reds already have an abundance of young talent in the infield to use him to acquire an upgrade elsewhere or add to their farm system.

Adding India to the mix with Estrada would give them a player who can help take the pressure off of 22-year-old shortstop Marco Luciano, who just got his first taste of the MLB last season. 

Signing: Bolster the rotation with the 2023 NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell

Despite their trade for former Cy Young Award winner pitcher Robbie Ray, the Giants will still be in the market for a top-of-the-rotation type of arm and Snell is the best available. 

Snell would be the big splash that has eluded Giants general manager Farhan Zaidi since he arrived in San Francisco and would give the Giants another elite arm to help battle in the NL West. 

The 31-year-old southpaw finished 2023 with a 14-9 record, 2.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 234 strikeouts in 180 innings pitched while winning the NL Cy Young Award. While Snell will likely demand a more lucrative deal than expected after the Dodgers gave pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto a 12-year, $325M contract, the Giants experienced his dominance firsthand last season and know just how good he can be.

In three starts against the Giants this past summer, Snell went 2-0, throwing 18 scoreless innings while striking out 26 and allowing only 10 hits.

Adding Snell to a rotation that already has a Cy Young candidate like Logan Webb, a young flamethrower in left-hander Kyle Harrison and the newly acquired Ray, would give the Giants a staff that could compete with anyone.