3 potential trade options for the Giants to replace Pablo Sandoval

San Francisco Giants fans are mourning the loss of Pablo Sandoval, but not all is lost in the Bay Area.

The search to replace the Panda now begins, and with limited free-agent options at third base - Chase Headley is the only comparable player to Sandoval - the team may need to trade in order to fill the void.

Here are three potential trade targets the Giants could be focusing on:

Trevor Plouffe

The Minnesota Twins' third baseman is a first-year arbitration-eligible player this offseason, and is projected to earn $4.3 million through the process. 

The Twins have some gaping holes to fill in their starting rotation, and just had their bid for Korean pitcher Hyeong-jong Yang rejected by his home club. Dominican prospect Miguel Sano is waiting in the wings, making Plouffe expendable if the right deal for pitching comes Minnesota's way. 

Plouffe, 28 (the same age as Sandoval), put up similar offensive numbers in 2014, hitting .258 with 14 home runs and 80 RBIs. 

Brock Holt

The Giants' best trade partner might actually be the team Sandoval signed with. The Boston Red Sox also added Hanley Ramirez to the mix, possibly making Holt available via trade because of the team's abundance of outfield talent. 

Holt burst onto the scene in 2014 and impressed with his ability to play multiple positions at a high level. That kind of diversity is highly coveted in the National League; he would also be a huge upgrade defensively over Sandoval. Holt's power numbers at the plate, however, fail in comparison to the Panda's. The 26-year-old hit .281 with four home runs and 29 RBIs in 106 games last season.

Luis Valbuena

The Chicago Cubs are expected to be very active this offseason, and their thirst for pitching help needs to be quenched. 

Valbuena hit a respectable .249 with 16 homers and 51 RBIs for the offensively-challenged Cubbies last season, and with super prospect Kris Bryant knocking at the door, he could be the odd man out in Chicago. 

Valbuena appears to be coming into his prime at 28, and could be an under-the-radar pickup for the Giants.