MLB Trade Rumors: 5 teams that should make a deal for Adrian Beltre

4. San Francisco Giants

The Giants are in the thick of the playoff race, five games back of the first-place Diamondbacks in the NL West and four games back of the Wild Card lead entering Sunday. They will also be without third baseman Evan Longoria for the next seven weeks or so, as he recovers from a broken hand.

Longoria is second on the team in home runs (10), with 34 RBI (tied for second-most on the team) and 16 doubles (third-most on the team).

Pablo Sandoval has stepped into the starting role at third base since Longoria went out and he has been functional at the plate so far this season (.274/.344./.438, six home runs, 26 RBI) in a corner infield role.

But a decline will always seem to be around the corner for “Kung Fu Panda” and the Giants should plan for it while Longoria is out.

The long end of Longoria’s recovery timetable puts his return at right around the trade deadline, so acquiring Beltre might not be on the radar of Giants general manager Bobby Evans.

But relying on Sandoval and Alen Hanson to hold down the fort at the hot corner over the next month-plus feels like a bad plan, assuming San Francisco wants to stay in playoff contention.