A Bay Area-born first baseman might now be on the trade market for the San Francisco Giants.
The San Francisco Giants face some uncertainty at first base heading into next season. If they’re looking to explore an intriguing option, Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson could become a trade candidate after the Tigers announced that a different player would take over the position in 2025.
Following Detroit’s free-agent signing of second baseman Gleyber Torres, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris, a former Giants general manager, revealed that Colt Keith would transition to first base for the upcoming season.
This move leaves Torkelson, the top pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, in a challenging position. The Arizona State alum showed promise in 2023 with 31 home runs, but his 2024 performance was underwhelming, as he posted a .219/.295/.374 slash line with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs over 342 at-bats.
SF Giants should trade for Bay Area native Spencer Torkelson
Harris hasn’t completely closed the door on Torkelson, expressing confidence that there’s a place for him on the team if he can deliver a strong offseason and spring training. However, the Tigers might be open to trading the 25-year-old if the right deal comes along.
Torkelson, a native of Petaluma, California—just an hour north of San Francisco—might benefit from a return to the Bay Area. A fresh start close to home could be exactly what the power-hitting righty needs to revive his career.
Last month, a mock trade scenario was proposed where the Tigers would send Torkelson and a reliever to the Giants in exchange for LaMonte Wade Jr. and LaMonte Wade Jr. While that deal is still plausible, the Giants might prefer to retain Wade and platoon him with Torkelson at first base.
An alternative trade could involve Wilmer Flores—a right-handed first baseman who might lose his spot if Torkelson joins the roster—and Doval heading to Detroit in exchange for Torkelson.
The Giants, however, should be cautious about overpaying for Torkelson. If he’s truly a bust, they’d be wise to avoid parting with valuable prospects. Instead, they could wait to see how eager the Tigers are to move him if he no longer fits into their plans.
This situation could mirror what the Giants experienced last season with Joey Bart. Once a top prospect, Bart was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for minimal return, only to have a strong season. With Torkelson down to one minor league option, per Spotrac, the Giants could potentially acquire him at a reasonable cost and help him rediscover his potential.
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