Posey gives one-word response about SF Giants’ prospects of trading ace Webb

SAN FRANCISCO — One word.

That’s all Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey needed when asked if the team would be open to trading Logan Webb.

“No,” Posey said on Tuesday afternoon.

Webb, a team leader and the face of the franchise, is unquestionably the Giants’ most valuable trade chip, even if the front office does not intend to cash it in.

The 29-year-old is a two-time All-Star in his prime and in the midst of one of the best stretches of his career. Webb has pitched eight innings in each of his last three starts, the first Giant to do that since Madison Bumgarner in 2015. Despite a rocky start, Webb has a 3.35 ERA and 3.06 FIP over 13 starts.

Along with his production, there’s also the matter of his team-friendly contract. Webb signed a five-year, $90 million extension in April 2024, taking him through the 2028 season. Per Cot’s Contracts, Webb is slated to make $23 million in 2027 and $24 million in 2028, a steal given his status as one of baseball’s best right-handed pitchers.

If the Giants changed their tune and made Webb available, the return package would likely net the team multiple top-100 prospects, as well as a young player or two ready to contribute in the majors. Trading Webb, though, would signal a full-scale rebuild, a path the franchise apparently has no intention of pursuing.

Still, even if Webb is off the table, that doesn’t mean the Giants won’t be shipping off other veterans at the deadline.

“We’ll leave all options on the table,” Posey said. “The way things are trending now, I’d say that we’ve got to remain open to seeing what best ways we can try to improve the club.”

The Giants’ most obvious trade candidate is 29-year-old Luis Arraez, who left Tuesday’s game after fouling a ball off his right foot. Along with ranking fifth in the majors in batting average (.321), Arraez has been one of the game’s best defenders by both outs above average (+10) and Fielding Run Value (+9).

There’s also 34-year-old starter Robbie Ray, who should garner intrigue given he’s also an impending free agent. Ray’s ERA (3.70), FIP (4.79), strikeouts per nine innings (8.21) and walks per nine (4.31) are all worse compared to last season, but the left-hander is coming off his two best outings of the season. Ray pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings of “relief” in Game 1 of the Giants’ split doubleheader against Atlanta last week, then followed it up by allowing one run (none earned) over eight frames against the A’s on Tuesday.

Tyler Mahle, who’s slated to return from the injured list on Wednesday and start against the A’s, could pitch his way into being a trade piece. Mahle, 31, was one of the worst starters in the majors before he hit the injured list with a left hamstring strain, but the right-hander has enough of a résumé to draw some interest if he puts together a good run.

Along with Arraez, Ray and Mahle, there might be interest in relievers Caleb Kilian, JT Brubaker and Sam Hentges, among others.

The true trade intrigue, however, is the team’s core of Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers, a big-money trio of infielders that has garnered industry-wide trade speculation over the last week.

Posey said Tuesday that he believes in that core, but added that “at this point, we’ve got to put everything on the table and listen to different types of scenarios.” He said he has not talked to Adames or Chapman about waiving their no-trade clauses.

“Certainly, I can speak for all of us, we don’t have our mind made up one way or another,” Posey said. “We’ll just kind of see how things progress here over the next month or so.”

Even with a 3-1 win on Tuesday night, San Francisco is 113-127 during Posey’s tenure as the team’s president of baseball operations. While the Giants are headed towards one of their worst seasons in franchise history, Posey, who received a three-year contract through 2027, is “committed to seeing it through.”

“Again, what I like about sports — and I think we all like about sports — is it’s a meritocracy,” Posey said. “If you play well, you stay. Or, if the team plays well and you win a bunch of games, you stay. If not, then there’s conversations that have to be had.”