The best move the San Francisco Giants made at the 2026 trade deadline was the one that brought them Ramon Marquez. They acquired the right-hander and relief prospect Marty Gair in the Aug. 3 trade that sent Luis Arraez and Caleb Kilian to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Arraez hit .324/.360/.440 in 105 games for San Francisco and earned his fourth All-Star selection. He was nearing free agency on a one-year contract, while Kilian remained under club control. The Giants gave up a reliever they could have kept beyond 2026 to bring back a potential starter and another pitcher who could eventually help their bullpen.
Marquez Has a Changeup He Can Build Around
San Francisco Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Marquez, 21, ranks No. 5 in the Giants’ system, according to MLB Pipeline. He finished 2026 with a 2.22 ERA, 105 strikeouts, and 20 walks in 69 innings across Single-A and High-A. Most of that work came before the trade. He struck out 12 and walked one in 10 innings for High-A Eugene, allowing six earned runs in two starts.
His changeup is the pitch that gives him a chance to start. MLB Pipeline grades it a 70 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. Marquez can get swings and misses with it in the strike zone, which would give him a way to finish at-bats against more selective hitters as he moves up.
An undisclosed injury sent Marquez to the injured list on Aug. 25, and Eugene activated him on Sept. 22. The next step is seeing whether he can hold his command and keep missing bats over a longer schedule. Double-A Richmond would offer that test once he is ready to take regular turns.
Gair Faces a More Immediate Roster Decision
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Gair struck out 84 in 48 innings in 2026 and posted a 4.88 ERA across 41 relief appearances. He had a 2.25 ERA in seven outings for Eugene before a September promotion to Double-A Richmond. He allowed six earned runs in four innings there, leaving him with more to prove against hitters at that level.
MLB.com identified Gair as eligible for the Rule 5 draft if he remains off the 40-man roster. The Giants have until their Nov. 17 roster protection deadline to decide whether to use a spot on him. His strikeouts give San Francisco a reason to consider it; his control and readiness for the upper minors are shaping the decision.
MLB Pipeline lists 2028 as Marquez’s estimated arrival in the Majors. Addressing the Giants’ immediate need for established starters this winter would give him time to build innings. If his changeup holds up as he moves through the upper minors, San Francisco could get years of rotation work from a deal it made with Arraez’s contract winding down.
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