SF Giants fans have had to watch as the Los Angeles Dodgers thrived in the MLB playoffs. Adding to the sting, they’ve seen Him—whom the Dodgers acquired at the deadline—play exceptionally well, a player the Giants arguably should have pursued.
True to the Farhan Zaidi era, the Giants had a quiet 2024 trade deadline. Zaidi, seemingly unconvinced that the team had a strong postseason chance, made minimal moves, trading away Alex Cobb and Jorge Soler and making a modest acquisition in Mark Canha.
Following the deadline, the Giants remained mediocre and ultimately missed the playoffs for a third consecutive year. Some might say Zaidi’s cautious approach contributed to his exit as president of baseball operations.
Looking back, few impactful players were available at the deadline, and the Giants might not have been able to make a postseason push regardless—but they did miss an opportunity with at least one notable player.
SF Giants should regret not trading for Tommy Edman
Tommy Edman has always seemed like a natural fit for the Giants. A Stanford alum, he’s been a reliable major leaguer since his debut, and he hails from the St. Louis Cardinals—an organization known for the same brand of fundamental baseball that the Giants value.
Given the Giants’ struggles at second base and shortstop this past season, adding Edman, who can play those positions as well as center field, would have been a big boost. However, Edman ended up with the Dodgers. Los Angeles also needed help in the middle infield and has shown a willingness to make big moves at the trade deadline.
While Edman’s regular season stats were modest, hitting .237/.294/.417 with six home runs and 20 RBIs, he’s been invaluable in the postseason, hitting .365/.358/.577 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in 52 at-bats—taking on a role for the Dodgers similar to what Marco Scutaro once was for the Giants.
To be fair, trading for Edman wouldn’t have guaranteed a playoff spot for the Giants this season. His regular season numbers alone wouldn’t have brought them an extra seven or eight wins. But he would have been a major asset for 2025. Alongside Tyler Fitzgerald, Edman could have filled the shortstop role, stabilizing the position while Fitzgerald took over at second base. Now, the Giants will likely have to pursue an expensive free-agent shortstop.
Additionally, acquiring Edman would have kept him away from the Dodgers, preventing their rivals from further strengthening their roster. But instead, the Giants missed out, and Edman is now helping the Dodgers chase a World Series title—a tough pill for Giants fans to swallow.
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