Options for outfield help ‘very satisfying’

Now that 2018 has arrived, it won’t be long before the Giants send their equipment truck to Arizona, the faithful gather at AT&T Park for FanFest, and pitchers and catchers report to Scottsdale Stadium.

One teensy detail needs to be worked out: Who is going to man their outfield?

With less than six weeks before the Giants open spring training, the five outfielders on their 40-man roster are Hunter Pence, Jarrett Parker, Mac Williamson, Gorkys Hernandez and Austin Slater.

The Giants still want to add a corner outfielder, a center fielder or both, but the front office is operating in trade and free-agent markets that have been gridlocked.

While fans are antsy to get the roster filled, general manager Bobby Evans is not.

“All of us want to make sure that we’re getting the best possible options out there, and we’re not really focused on the calendar,” Evans said Thursday.

Evans has no reason to grab the phone and make a panic trade or signing because the outfielders he wants have not been signed or traded.

“I think our options are still very satisfying,” Evans said.

Player movement has been nearly nonexistent. That’s mostly because the usual bigspending teams, including the Giants, hope to slide under the $197 million payroll threshold for the 2018 luxury tax.

Demand for players also has been stifled by a growing number of teams taking a step back in 2018 to compete in 2019 and beyond, bigger penalties for signing one of the nine free agents who got qualifying offers, and more teams attempting to get younger by trying out their prospects.

Free agents and teams with players to trade continue to ask for more money and prospects than the buyers want to lay out, with the luxury-tax issue adding complications.

Take outfielder Andrew McCutchen, whom the Giants have discussed acquiring from the Pirates. McCutchen has one year at $14.5 million left on his contract. In past years that would be considered a bargain, but to get him the Giants would have to surrender at least one high-level prospect and leap a lot closer to the tax threshold.

The Giants gained wiggle room by trading pitcher Matt Moore to the Rangers and including outfielder Denard Span in the Evan Longoria deal with Tampa Bay.

The Giants have had talks with the Reds about center fielder Billy Hamilton, while the Brewers have let teams know they would move young, potent right fielder Domingo Santana or center fielder Keon Broxton. Sources say other outfielders who have not been mentioned in offseason rumors are available, too.

The Giants have looked into free-agent outfielders Jay Bruce and J.D. Martinez, among others.

Evans said the club remains committed to improving outfield defense, which could be achieved by giving the center field job to prospect Steven Duggar, a long shot.

Without introducing prospects into the mix, the Giants might have to get better without getting younger.

Every projected Opening Day starting position player on the roster, besides Joe Panik, will be at least 30 this year. In their quest to compete rather than rebuild, the Giants might have to be able to pick and choose outfielders in their 20s.

“Getting younger for the sake of getting younger has never been the goal,” Evans said. “The goal for us is to get better and stronger and have sustained success.”