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Duane Kuiper joined Murph and Mac Wednesday morning to discuss Giants baseball and yesterday’s Hall Of Fame results. He touched on the trade rumors surrounding Giants third baseman Evan Longoria and what the team should do with the expensive veteran.
“I think you have to find a partner that’s obviously willing to take on some money with Longoria,” Kuiper said. “You probably have to attach something else with him for a team to do that. Longoria is owed $14.5 million in 2019 with a total of $66.5 million left on his contract before a $5 million buyout in 2023. With Longoria still owed a lot of money, it makes a lot of sense to try and off-load a large contract like his, with the Giants in a transitional phase.
The All-Star and former Rookie Of The Year had a down year in his first season with the Giants but could be someone who bounces back in 2019.
“Then you have to decide, ‘Wait a minute, is it worth that or is it better to keep him and see if we can catch him where he’s got it all going right,’” Kuiper said. “Then you can see if he’s a guy you like, who’s good in the clubhouse, or if you want to trade him.”
In a season where the team could rely heavily on younger players, a veteran presence like Longoria could provide stability in a clubhouse where there will likely be some turnover. Trading Longoria would give a lot more playing time to players such as Pablo Sandoval and possibly Ryder Jones, but the team would likely be in the market for a cheap, free agent third baseman.