Wednesday, perhaps, was the final home game at Oracle Park for one or more San Francisco Giants, with the team leaving on a seven-game trip that spans the Aug. 3 trade deadline.<\/p>\n
Luis Arraez, a free-agent-to-be and the team\u2019s most consistent performer all season, had four more hits in the Giants\u2019 16-3 win over the Brewers, lifting his average to a league-best .331; if he\u2019s traded to an NL team, he\u2019ll be able to continue to vie with his close friend Otto Lopez of the Marlins for the batting title.<\/p>\n
\u201cNever count out Luis,\u201d starter Logan Webb said. \u201cHe\u2019s already won three, so he\u2019s our modern-day version of Tony Gwynn.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret Arraez is San Francisco\u2019s best trade piece, and staffers who won\u2019t be on the trip stopped by his locker to shake his hand. He\u2019s done his best to avoid rumors and rumblings, but he\u2019s been traded three times before; he knows the drill. His postgame comments sounded like a fond goodbye, although much of that is because many of the questions were geared that way.<\/p>\n
Arraez called his time in San Francisco \u201camazing, especially because they give me a big opportunity to play second base, and I really appreciate that. I want to say thanks to the organization for giving me the opportunity. I\u2019m having fun there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked about the fans, he said they\u2019re also amazing. \u201cEvery day, they show up for us and they just get loud every day. And I love, I love, I love the fans. I want to say thanks for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s not a player anyone wants to see go, with his teammates sharing the sentiment manager Tony Vitello expressed: \u201cHe makes everyone\u2019s day better every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
An alternate scenario does exist: The Giants could keep Arraez if they aren\u2019t offered what they believe he\u2019s worth in the coming days. The team could then choose to give him a qualifying offer (about $23 million); if he subsequently left as a free agent, the Giants would receive a compensatory draft pick. With Ron Washington\u2019s help, though, Arraez has turned into one of the best defensive second basemen in the league. He would be an asset for many clubs, including the Rays, Red Sox and potentially the Rangers.<\/p>\n
The Padres have also been mentioned as a possibility. The Giants head to play Arraez\u2019s former team for the next four days.<\/p>\n
Heliot Ramos, a target for several contenders, also rapped four hits including a two-run single in the Giants\u2019 seven-run sixth inning to help San Francisco take the series while scoring the team\u2019s highest total at Oracle Park since they scored 16 against the Reds on May 21, 2010.<\/p>\n
For those Giants who will return with the team next week, it\u2019s all about the young talent plus those locked up long-term, and San Francisco had lots to like there, including rookie catcher Daniel Susac, who belted his first MLB homer Wednesday, a three-run blast that provided a nice early cushion for Webb. He added a solo shot in the eighth off position player Andrew Vaughn, a Cal alum.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about time to get one,\u201d Webb joked of his catcher\u2019s homer. \u201cNo, it\u2019s great \u2014 he\u2019s been working his butt off and he\u2019s been on the IL twice. \u2026 He called every pitch today and he was amazing back there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Susac said he\u2019d have been lying if that first homer wasn\u2019t on his mind at times, \u201cbut I knew it was going to come eventually.”<\/p>\n
Willy Adames was a plus all day, starting with a nine-pitch walk right before Susac\u2019s blast. \u201cPretty much from being on deck, I could see every pitch that at-bat,\u201d Susac said. Adames is signed through 2031 and has a no-trade clause, but if he gets back to the kind of regular contributor he was with Milwaukee, San Francisco will feel a lot better about its shortstop spot until Gavin Kilen, Jhonny Level or Josuar Gonzalez is ready.<\/p>\n
Ramos also stole a base and was caught once \u2014 the first Giant caught stealing this month. In a welcome trend, the team has been much more aggressive on the bases, successful on 18 of 19 attempts in July.<\/p>\n
Webb is now 6-0 lifetime against Milwaukee with a 1.92 ERA, the second-best ERA all-time against the Brewers among pitchers who\u2019ve made at least nine starts after Andy Messersmith\u2019s 1.77.<\/p>\n
Briefly: The Giants had no more clarity on Harrison Bader\u2019s late Saturday scooter accident that left his injured foot in worse shape. Vitello said it\u2019s not broken but did not have further information about how the outfielder was hurt or how the injury was exacerbated. \u2026 Casey Schmitt will need arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his left knee, but it has not yet been scheduled. Healing time for such a procedure varies widely depending on the nature of the tear, from 4 to 6 weeks to more than three months. The team does not expect Schmitt to play again this season.<\/p>\n
Outfielder-second baseman Jonah Cox (oblique) was scheduled to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday. Should Arraez be moved, Cox could be among those to fill in at second. \u2026 Quality control coach Thaira Uematsu filled in as first-base coach with Shane Robinson attending to a family matter.<\/p>\n