The San Francisco Giants have a short window to prove they should not be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline, and instead, add some pieces to help push them towards the playoffs.
Based on how they have played so far this year, that’s a tough pitch.
Coming out of the All-Star break, they sit with a 47-50 record and are on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, but with the Wild Card race so tight, they are just three games back from the final spot.
Farhan Zaidi has some pressure on him to make the postseason, suggesting he is going to avoid selling at all costs, but if they aren’t able to put together a good showing during the next 10 days, then he might be forced to start trading away some pieces.
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That will be determined by what happens on the field, but if the front office is confident this group can turn things around and contend for a spot in the playoffs, then they could look to a major upgrade at first base.
According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, the Tampa Bay Rays “will listen” to offers on packages surrounding their star first baseman Yandy Diaz as it looks like they will begin to start selling.
The one-time All-Star would be a huge addition for the Giants.
Even though he’s having a down year with a .273/.329/.396 slash line and 109 OPS+ compared to his past performances, Diaz would be a massive upgrade in the platoon split if he replaced Wilmer Flores.
He would pair perfectly with the left-handed hitting LaMonte Wade Jr., who is an on-base machine. Having these two in the mix would give this lineup a boost no matter if a lefty or righty is on the mound.
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There has been no information about what it might cost to acquire the 2023 Batting Champion, but with him not scheduled to hit free agency until 2027, with a club option being available for 2026, then there’s a chance any deal would be pricey.
Still, this is the type of acquisition that makes sense for San Francisco.
They would bring in someone who is cost-controlled compared to other top hitters at his position, giving them an established player at a spot where there isn’t a star prospect ready to take over.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Malik Thomas had 19 points in San Francisco’s 81-72 win against Portland on Thursday.
Thomas shot 5 of 12 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 7 for 7 from the line for the Dons (14-4, 4-1 West Coast Conference). Marcus Williams scored 17 points while shooting 8 for 12, including 1 for 4 from beyond the arc and added three steals. Carlton Linguard and Junjie Wang both added 14 points.
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The Pilots (5-13, 0-5) were led by Max Mackinnon, who recorded 28 points and two steals. Austin Rapp added 19 points and eight rebounds for Portland. Chris Austin also had 12 points and six rebounds.
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San Francisco’s next game is Saturday against Santa Clara on the road, and Portland hosts Pacific on Thursday.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Newly inaugurated Mayor Daniel Lurie said Thursday he wants to freeze city hiring and new programs — though there are major exemptions and scant details on exactly what departments will be affected.
In light of a historic budget deficit reaching nearly $900 million, Lurie said the city would pause hiring for new positions, except those that are “historically challenging to staff and that directly support public safety and health.”
Additionally, Lurie told department heads to “realign programming and spending” with core priorities, according to a press release, including freezing new contracts and programs.
The mayor’s office did not respond to a list of questions from The Standard about which departments would be exempted from the hiring freeze or the criteria for halting programs and contracts.
“As we speak, the San Francisco Police Department and sheriff’s department are rapidly shifting resources and personnel to bring drug dealers to justice and clean up our streets,” Lurie said in his inaugural address Wednesday.
Chinese Americans have long played a critical role in San Francisco politics and the city’s identity as a bastion of progress and compassion, advocating for integrated schools, affordable housing and public safety, especially after the pandemic when anti-Asian hate crimes spiked.
A banner hangs over Grant Avenue welcoming Mayor Lurie at the Chinatown Night Market on Inauguration Day in San Francisco on Jan. 8, 2025. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
It’s also a fast-growing electorate. The Asian population had the highest growth rate of any ethnicity in San Francisco from 2010 to 2020, according to U.S. Census data. Chinese residents account for nearly 22% of the city’s population.
Lurie has already hired several staffers to help him bridge cultural divides, including Han Zhao, a political strategist for Lurie’s campaign who will be the director of public affairs; Paul Yep, a former San Francisco police commander who will be the director of public safety; and Kit Lam, who was the Asian American and Pacific Islander political director for Lurie’s campaign and who was previously an organizer of the school board recall in 2022. He will serve as a press liaison between the mayor’s office and AAPI communities.
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Lurie, founder of the nonprofit Tipping Point and heir to the Levis Strauss clothing fortune, campaigned as a political outsider fed up with dysfunction and corruption in City Hall.
He has never held elected office before, but convinced voters that his background in nonprofit work would position him well to bring new ideas to City Hall. Campaign contributions soared past $62 million, topped by Lurie who raised roughly $16 million — about half of which was self-funded — making his run the most expensive in the city’s history.
Mayor Daniel Lurie addresses supporters inside Far East Cafe, a Cantonese restaurant, during a visit to Chinatown’s Night Market on his Inauguration Day in San Francisco on Jan. 8, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)
At Wednesday’s night market, hundreds of residents packed the streets of Chinatown to eat and dance to electronic music by San Francisco-born electronic music producer, Zhu.
“I just got off of work over at Equinox and came because Zhu was performing, but I also came here to support our new Mayor Daniel Lurie,” said Mason Maes, who lives in Noe Valley. “It’s great to see all these residents get together.”
Elizabeth Wang, a Marina resident, came because she was hoping to learn more about Lurie and to have fun with friends.
“I’m just here for the vibes. I can’t say I know much about [Lurie] since he’s new to government,” Wang said. “But having a party here in Chinatown means a lot.”
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Crowds fill Grant Avenue for the Chinatown Night Market on Inauguration Day in San Francisco on Jan. 8, 2025. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
Others at the event, who didn’t vote for Lurie and had skepticism about his wealthy background, said they’re waiting to see what type of change his administration will bring.
“We weren’t Daniel Lurie fans, but we love this city and hope it gets better,” said Tiny Harris, who was chasing her toddler around the market.
She said she voted for Aaron Peskin partly because he opposed sweeps of homeless encampments and supported housing and behavioral health solutions over law enforcement to address street homelessness.
“But out of all the mayoral candidates, we could have done worse, so I’m thankful for that,” Harris said.
