MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees' Ellsbury could waive no-trade clause for Giants

Ellsbury would help fill the Giants' outfield vacancies

On Wednesday, the San Francisco Giants traded for Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria. Subsequently, the Giants were said to be hopeful in their pursuit of adding an outfielder, with free agent Jay Bruce named as the most likely candidate.

But if Bruce finds a richer deal elsewhere, the Giants could fall back on the trade market. One outfielder who seems interested in joining Longoria in San Francisco? Jacoby Ellsbury of the New York Yankees. Here's what Jon Heyman of Fanrag Sports reported on Thursday:

Jacoby Ellsbury was said early this winter not to want to waive his full no-trade clause, but word now is that he might consider waiving it for a select few teams, and the San Francisco Giants could be one of them.

We covered the Ellsbury saga from the Yankees' point of view earlier in the winter. It has it all, folks: a no-trade clause; a decent chunk of change; and a veteran outfielder whose declining talent has left him better suited to come off the bench or start on a second-division team.

The Giants would certainly make sense as an Ellsbury landing spot. Denard Span was included in the Longoria trade, leaving San Francisco with Hunter Pence (himself losing shine due to age-related decline) and a number of largely unproven and untested options to patrol the grass.

Ellsbury hit .264/.348/.402 in 112 games in 2017. He also stole 22 bags on 25 attempts, all the while grading as a substandard defender in center field.