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The San Francisco Giants were the first team to make a blockbuster move in 2025. The Giants traded for Boston Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers to bolster their lineup. However, San Francisco is still under pressure to keep up with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. Pitching remains the Giants' biggest problem, but Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen could help fix it.
Gallen is not the biggest name on the trade market when it comes to pitchers. However, he and Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara are ripe for buy-low deals. If contenders can get them at a good price, they could look back and point at the trade as the reason why they took home the title in October. Buster Posey has proven that he is capable of making big-time decisions in trade.
The first three spots in San Francisco's order are set with Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and Justin Verlander. Outside of that trio, the Giants' starters have been hit and miss. While teams can endure a lack of pitching in the regular season, it is at a premium once the playoffs begin. Past champions have shown that adding a starter at the deadline can take you from contender to favorite.
Sending Gallen away would be a tough pill to swallow for the Diamondbacks. Arizona has talent on their roster, but they have not put things together so far this season. After Corbin Burnes' Diamondbacks debut season ended early, so their their goal of contention. While inter-division trades are rare, San Francisco needs to do whatever is necessary to win in the fall.
Here is a trade that the Giants could offer the Diamondbacks for Gallen before the July 31 deadline.
Giants receive: SP Zac Gallen
Diamondbacks receive: 2B Christian Koss and SP Jacob Bresnahan
Why should the Giants trade for Gallen?
The Giants have captured balance between their starters and their offense for the first time in a while. The teams that made it to and won the World Series complemented one another in all facets of the game. San Francisco manager Bob Melvin is close to capturing that magic. However, he might need an upgrade near the end of his rotation to really start rolling.
Verlander feels like he has figured something out in his debut season with the Giants. However, the pitchers behind him on the schedule cannot hold a candle to him. His numbers are not great in 2025, but Gallen is an All-Star level talent that can hold his own in Melvin's rotation. Of the pitchers on the market, Gallen has the most recent playoff success.
While Gallen would be a great fit in San Francisco, suitors are anticipating that the Diamondbacks will hear many offers from contenders. For a team looking to remain competitive for the foreseeable future, trading for Gallen is a matter of deciding what teams are willing to give up. Depending on how things break, each team could be under a different amount of pressure to get something done.
If Gallen does end up in San Francisco, things get very interesting. The Giants will have the veteran pitcher until the end of the season. Posey and the front office would then have the inside track on the race to give the former All-Star a long-term deal. If he signs, San Francisco has three high-level pitchers in their prime to build around.
Why should the Diamondbacks trade for Koss and Bresnahan?
The Diamondbacks, for better or worse, are turning their sights toward the future. Ketel Marte, Arizona's All-Star starter, continues to play like an MVP. Unfortunately, the team around him is not good enough to take advantage. Sending their beloved pitcher to a division rival is a risky move. However, the young players they would receive in return make it worthwhile.
Gallen wants a long-term deal this winter. At this point, it does not look like Arizona wants to sign that check. If that is the case, moving him now for the best possible package is the best move. It is a shrewd move, but a necessary one for a team looking to get back to the World Series without breaking the bank.
Koss is on the Giants' injured list right now. However, the Giants youngster has shown flashes, even if it is a smaller sample size. His defensive versatility would be a big help for Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo as well. Given more opportunity to show what he can do, Koss could develop into a great complementary piece to Marte in the Arizona infield.
Bresnahan, on the other hand, is the result of careful cultivation by the Giants. The 20-year-old is still a couple years away from the major league but shows great promise at Single-A San Jose. The lefty has a 3.18 ERA across 13 starts this season, a great number for a pitcher with more than 50 innings under his belt.
If this trade happens, it would be historic. However, history favors the bold, and the Giants have shown that they're ready to swing for the fences.
