Best Max Scherzer trades for Braves, Cardinals, and Giants

1. The Giants would have the best shot at landing Max Scherzer

The last team on this list might make the most sense at the moment. To the surprise of many, the Giants have a two game lead in the NL West and own a 57-32 record (best MLB).

San Francisco’s starters have managed a 3.18 ERA (3rd-lowest MLB) and it’s been a strength of the first-place Giants. The likes of Kevin Gausman and Anthony DeSclafani have led the Giants rotation and each is having a career year, but it remains to be seen if either can carry the team in a deep playoff race.

Gausman and DeSclafani have combined for 10 total playoff innings in their careers. All 10 of those innings belong to Gausman in four games for the Orioles during the 2014 postseason.

Meanwhile, Scherzer has totaled 112 innings pitched in October, including three games in the World Series. One of those Fall Classic starts was Game 7 of the 2019 World Series where the Nationals defeated the Astros.

His career 3.38 postseason ERA, 1.134 WHIP, and 11 K/9 rate is enough reason to believe Mad Max is the guy many teams would want on the mound for a do-or-die postseason start.

Unlike the previous teams mentioned, the Giants will be among the clubs with the biggest payroll flexibility for next season and beyond. San Francisco was also ranked with the 11th-best farm system in baseball this season.

The Giants have the perfect combination of young talent and financial flexibility to make a move towards Scherzer without having to give up too much of their future in return.

It’d most likely be a deal similar to the Cubs and Padres which involved Yu Darvish, Victor Caratini, and San Diego taking on a large bulk of Darvish’s remaining three years in exchange for lower-level teenage prospects.

Given all of the money still owed and if the Nationals fall further out, the Giants would have plenty of leverage to work with in a deal for Scherzer at the trade deadline.