The San Francisco Giants were one of the biggest surprises in baseball in 2021. Expected by most experts to finish a solid third in the NL West, they shocked everyone to win a major league best 107 games and find their way back to the postseason.
Even though the season ended in disappointment, it was still an impressive showing. But now the Giants have plenty of questions and holes on their roster. Virtually the entire starting rotation is gone. Buster Posey, the heart of their franchise, has retired. Despite being in the postseason, the Giants’ roster needs to be completely rebuilt.
Three moves for the San Francisco Giants this offseason
The future can still be bright. The Giants have plenty of money to spend this offseason and should be players for several top free agents. They have an emerging star in the rotation in Logan Webb which makes fixing the rotation a bit easier, and have had solid contributions from several unheralded players. It may be difficult, but the Giants may not be going anywhere.
The San Francisco Giants are looking to prove that 2021 was not a fluke. Here are three moves they can make to return to the postseason.
Bring in a veteran catcher
Joey Bart has been considered one of the top catching prospects in baseball for years. It is time for the San Francisco Giants’ youngster to show why at the major league level.
Bart had a chance to cement his place going forward in 2020. Posey had decided to sit out the season due to COVID, opening the door for Bart to make an impression. Instead, he fell flat on his face, showing minimal power while striking out at a 36.9% rate.
His defense has not done him any favors either. He was considered to be an excellent defensive prospect in the minors, but has saved just one run while throwing out only 18% of would-be base stealers. Bart has a strong arm and plenty of power when he connects, but he is starting to look a lot more like Mike Zunino than a future star.
This puts the Giants in a difficult spot. They have to give Bart a chance to prove himself at the major league level and show that he can be the player they envisioned. But they also cannot trust the position to him immediately. Bringing in a veteran catcher, such as a Yan Gomes, who Bart can learn from in 2022 could make a major difference for the future of the team.
Joey Bart likely has the first chance to be the San Francisco Giants’ new starting catcher. They should still bring in a veteran backup just to be safe.