San Francisco Giants: Top 3 free agents the Giants should pursue
It’s becoming more clear what direction the San Francisco Giants are going. Here are the biggest three free agents the 2020 team needs to pursue.
If one thing became clear over the past week, the San Francisco Giants are no longer operating in the business of appeasing their fans. Well, not as a forefront anyway.
The Giants truly are rebuilding and this is the type of valley that tends to come after a team has peaked and won the World Series… three times.
The free-agency period is the best opportunity for teams to help that rebuild, or add the defining piece to help them win now. The Giants could use free agency to inject some youthful veterans into what was the oldest team in baseball last year.
There are plenty of trades that would be fun to predict as well but the Giants are not one to hit the trade market at this time given that their sell-able pieces like Johnny Cueto or Brandon Belt wouldn’t bring a great prospect return and they aren’t going to give up more prospects for big-market players.
I’ve already mentioned one player that would be a great fit for the San Francisco Giants (I’m not spoiling it here), but there are three guys available – as of the day this article is published – that could help the Giants now, and within their big-spending budget.
Alex Wood
Left-Handed Starter
Here’s an obvious need for the San Francisco Giants; starting pitching. And how perfect because they officially have a recent opening.
Alex Wood is only 28 years old and he was under Farhan Zaidi’s watch when he was in Los Angeles. Wood additionally put together his best season in LA in 2017. An all-star campaign and a ninth-place finish in Cy Young voting.
Wood is exactly what the Giants need in the rotation: A lefty, a young veteran, and a guy that Zaidi has plenty of trust with.
He isn’t an ace but he also isn’t so young and inexperienced like a majority of the arms the Giants rotated through this past season. Stability in the middle of the group of five would greatly improve the roster and help to support a much younger bullpen.
The worry would be Wood’s poor health outside of his 2017 campaign. He barely threw last season in Cincinnati starting only seven games and 35 2/3 innings. It would be a risk but a very high reward if he can deliver.
Brock Holt
Infielder/Utility
When Joe Panik was designated for assignment last year, the San Francisco Giants quickly needed to fill their second base hole. Scooter Gennett looked to be the first answer but he didn’t pan out as hoped.
Mauricio Dubon looks to be the clear starter for next season at that spot, but if the Giants plan to heavily platoon like many of Zaidi’s prior regimes in Los Angeles, Brock Holt could be a fantastic compliment to the young Dubon.
Consider a signing of the 31-year-old veteran one compared to that of Chris Taylor. Very under the radar, signed for cheap, and flourished upon arrival to the Dodgers. The difference, in this case, is Taylor is entering his age 29 season.
Holt hasn’t necessarily had that breakout year. He was an all-star in 2015 but as part of a terrible Red Sox team. However, he does have comparable career numbers as a platoon/every man: .271/.340/.374 and decent power with 147 extra-base hits out of 552 total hits.
Holt also would provide an additional veteran presence for Dubon alongside Brandon Crawford. Too many mentors couldn’t hurt, right?
Another opportunity to make a low-risk signing that could produce tremendous payoff.
Nicholas Castellanos
Outfielder
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If you want to read my prior gushing over Nicholas Castellanos and how he would make a great fit for the San Francisco Giants, read this.
I will gladly stand on a podium in front of Oracle Park to convince Zaidi and the rest of the front office that if you want to make a splash signing that could lead to splash hits, Castellanos is the guy.
He feels the obvious and immediate need of a power hitter, a corner outfielder and a young star with plenty of upside.
Despite struggling in Detroit for a majority of the year, the way he played against National League clubs once making his way to the Cubs was J.D. Martinez to the Dbacks in 2017-esque.
In 51 games, he crushed 16 homers, drove in 36 runs, had an OPS of 1.002 and comparatively improved defensively – which is tough to do playing at Wrigley.
Castellanos had already rumored about being a part of a good clubhouse culture and that has been a taking point of the Giants organization for several years. Despite a regime change, a lot of the players have already shown great support of Kapler.
A slightly younger presence could be more relatable and influential for Castellanos and Kapler knows his way around an outfield.
He should be the top of the list for the San Francisco Giants and they can definitely afford him if they were able to pursue Bryce Harper late last offseason.
Next. Rockies: 3 viable trade options for Nolan Arenado. dark
Some of these signings may feel like a pipe dream, but all three make sense to help immediately improve this roster for many years to come.