Giants interested in Bellinger, Nimmo

There are other free-agent outfielders out there besides Aaron Judge, and the San Francisco Giants are eyeing them.

According to an industry source, the Giants have checked on Cody Bellinger, who was non-tendered by the Dodgers last week, as well as Brandon Nimmo, who compiled a 5.1 WAR with the Mets last season. Both can play center field and Bellinger is one of the top defensive players in the game.

Judge, the American League MVP, remains the top target for the Giants — and several other teams — but San Francisco would like to sign two outfielders, along with a middle infielder and a starting pitcher.

Judge will command at least $300 million, but Bellinger is looking for a one-year deal, something his agent, Scott Boras, often prefers for players whose value he believes will increase, setting them up for bigger contracts the following year. That’s the tactic he took with Giants All-Star left-hander Carlos Rodón, who opted out of his 2023 deal with San Francisco to pursue a long-term deal. The Giants remain a potential landing spot for Rodón, but like Judge, he will have many options.

Though signing Nimmo and Bellinger would be less expensive than signing Judge, both are left-handed hitters, as are newly re-signed Mike Yastrzemski and designated hitter/outfielder Joc Pederson. Judge hits righthanded.

Nimmo, 29, hit .274 with 16 homers and a .367 OBP, and scored 102 runs last season. Bellinger, the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL MVP, has struggled offensively since a shoulder injury in 2020, but he still hit 19 homers and drove in 68 runs for the 111-win Dodgers this year while playing superb defense. He is 27, and many teams are likely to believe he will improve as he continues to regain shoulder strength. On a one-year deal or a one-year deal with a player option, Bellinger could be a bargain.

San Francisco’s outfield defense was ranked the worst in baseball by advanced metrics such as its MLB-worst minus-44 defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs.