Giants should spend to contend
San Francisco still has holes in the rotation and its lineup to plug
SAN FRANCISCO » Buster Posey has elected to retire, Kevin Gausman signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and after spending six years in a Giants uniform, Johnny Cueto is a free agent.
With three veteran players headed out the door, the Giants know they must work diligently to fill a leadership void this offseason. Fortunately for Farhan Zaidi, Scott Harris and Gabe Kapler, the Giants also know they have a massive amount of money at their disposal.
During the 2021 season, Posey, Gausman and Cueto combined to earn more than $60 million, which should now be reallocated toward new players who can help the Giants defend their 2021 National League West title.
The front office has already been active this offseason, signing starter Anthony DeSclafani to a three-year, $36 million deal to return to San Francisco while first baseman Brandon Belt accepted a one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer to remain with the Giants. But the organization can’t stop there.
Expectations are once again skyhigh in San Francisco following a record-setting season, and it’s imperative the Giants build upon the strong foundation laid along the shores of McCovey Cove. With plenty of cash to spend and several avenues to improve the roster, here’s how the Giants should spend their surplus.
Replace Posey’s presence in the lineup
The Giants believe Joey Bart and Curt Casali can form a strong catching tandem next year, but it’s unrealistic to expect the duo to make up for the offensive production Posey provided en route to winning his fifth Silver Slugger.
Posey hit .304 with an .889 OPS in 2021, and while Bart has a high ceiling as an offensive catalyst, the Giants have to look outside the organization to find a veteran hitter who can help replace Posey’s consis
tency in the middle of their lineup.
The best fit for the Giants might be free agent outfielder Nick Castellanos, who owns an .880 OPS since the start of the 2019 season and is coming off a season in which he posted the highest on-base percentage (.362) of his career. Castellanos isn’t a plus defender, but if the National League adopts the designated hitter, it’s easy to envision a scenario in which he hits second, third or fourth on a daily basis for the next four to five years.
If the Giants don’t play at the top of the market, Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki has the type of offensive profile the organization loves. Suzuki, 27, is expected to command a four- to five-year deal in the $60 million range and has finished each of the last four seasons in the NPB with on-base percentages above .400.
Replenish the rotation
With Gausman, the lone All-Star from the Giants’ 2021 pitching staff, headed to Toronto on a five-year, $110 million deal, the Giants will rely heavily on ace Logan Webb to lead their rotation next year.
Behind Webb, the Giants are excited about DeSclafani’s potential and reportedly are nearing the finish line to re-sign Alex Wood, but there’s still room to make an impact acquisition. Free-agent righthander Alex Cobb is a fit for San Francisco, but the Giants would obviously benefit from signing a frontend-of-the-rotation starter and should seriously consider Robbie Ray or Marcus Stroman.
If the Giants don’t land one of the top two remaining free-agent pitchers, left-handers such as Danny Duffy, Yusei Kikuchi and James Paxton represent intriguing options.
Would Clayton Kershaw ever consider signing in San Francisco? Given his ties to Zaidi, it’s at least worth kicking the tires.
The bottom line is this: The Giants need at least three quality options heading into next season behind Webb and DeSclafani, and none of the internal options in the farm system can be counted on just yet.
Keep the emphasis on versatility
Given his defensive struggles in August and September, it seems unlikely the Giants would be willing to sign Kris Bryant to a five-plus-year deal worth more than $100 million, but there are other versatile players for the front office to consider.
The Giants haven’t been closely linked to former Dodgers utility man Chris Taylor yet this offseason, but Taylor represents a near-perfect fit for San Francisco.