Ranking the next-best options
Time for SF to seek other help in a post-Judge world
The lobby of the Manchester Grand Hyatt was quiet Thursday morning, a sharp departure from the past week's cacophony of activity. Following the winter meetings' spending frenzy, teams have doled out more than $2 billion to players this winter.
The Giants, though, are responsible only for a small fraction of the pie, despite seemingly big ambitions.
As Farhan Zaidi and the rest of the club's braintrust boarded their flights home, they lacked the star power, the defensive upgrades, and lineup additions they desired to add when they arrived here. They lost out on Aaron Judge, and missed out on alternatives that were quickly scooped up. Worse yet, late Wednesday night, one of those options, shortstop Xander Bogaerts, signed with the Padres, who seem as determined to create chaos as compete for the NL West.
Responsible for barely 3 percent of the money spent so far this winter, about $62 million between Joc Pederson and Mitch Haniger, the Giants have money to spend and now turn their attention elsewhere. They still seek a starting pitcher, an outfielder and, most of all, an impact player.
Asked this week if that money was burning a hole in his pocket, Zaidi pointed to his pants.
“I definitely don't have money literally burning a hole in my pocket,” Zaidi said with a smile. “These are baseball decisions. We have the support of ownership. But we're not being mandated to get to a certain level payroll wise.
“We have the flexibility to do that if the opportunities are right. It just has to be the right baseball player. ... But we're expecting to stay busy.”
In a post-Judge world, who should
be the Giants' top priority? We take a look at the remaining free agents, possible trade targets — and even turn an eye to 2024.
1. Carlos Correa
The Giants reportedly had $360 million on the table for Judge. They can just as easily shift those funds to the player that became their top priority once he said no.
Correa won't come much cheaper — he has been widely expected to receive the largest contract of the four free-agent shortstops, whose deals already shot past projections — but could be an ever better fit in San Francisco.
At 28, Correa is more than two years younger than Judge. As a shortstop, he also plays a premium position.
That raises the Brandon Crawford question.
Manager Gabe Kapler said he hasn't talked to the Giants' longtime shortstop about switching positions, but the San Francisco Chronicle reported, citing anonymous sources, that the Giants would move Crawford to third base if they were to sign Correa.
Although he comes tainted by the Astros' signstealing scandal, Correa was viewed as a clubhouse leader last season in Minnesota, and many in the industry believe his outstanding baseball IQ will help brunt his aging curve on a longterm contract that takes him into his late 30s.
2. Bryan Reynolds
3. Ramón Laureano
The Giants are still seeking a second outfielder, in addition to Haniger, and preferably one who can play center. Their best option, standout center fielder Brandon Nimmo, came off the board Thursday when he re-signed with the Mets with a reported, $8-year, $162 million deal.
In the same vein as Nimmo, Reynolds and Laureano are all the more attractive for the Giants because of the downstream effects of their ability to handle center field. “You're talking about the ability to move guys to positions a little bit down the defensive spectrum where they may be even better,” Zaidi said.
Adding a bonafide center fielder would allow the Giants to maximize Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Slater's defense by playing them in right field, all the more valuable in tricky Oracle Park.
Reynolds, 27, won't hit free agency until 2026 and was worth 6.0 bWAR in 2021. The onetime San Francisco prospect hit three more home runs in 2022 (27) but regressed in most other offensive categories. Laureano,
28, also has three more years of team control. However, after he posted an .860 OPS during a career year in 2019, he was popped for performance-enhancing drugs and hasn't had a season within 100 OPS points since.
4. Carlos Rodón
5. Kodai Senga
The Yankees successfully played defense, stopping the Giants from stealing their top free agent, and now they are expected to go on the offensive. New York may be the favorite for the Giants' top guy, Carlos Rodón, who is now said to be seeking seven years.
The Giants, though, are still in the running for Rodón.
Senga might be the nextbest available starter. His fastball hits 100 mph, and he throws a “ghost” splitter, but a perceived lack of command and the uncertainty of transitioning from Nippon Professional Baseball to the majors should discount his cost compared to Rodón.
6. Shohei Ohtani
Consider this the longterm play.
Perry Minasian, the Angels general manager (and brother of Giants assistant GM Zack Minasian), said Ohtani isn't going anywhere this winter. But the decision won't be up to the Angels next offseason; then, it is Ohtani's choice.
Ever wondered what Babe Ruth would be paid in modern baseball? Coming to a hot stove near you, November 2023. Ohtani is sure to shatter the record just set by Judge for the largest contract ever signed by a free agent, if he is allowed to reach the open market.
7. Sean Murphy
8. Danny Jansen
As much as the Giants would like Joey Bart to be their catcher for years to come, he didn't do enough last season to enter this winter with 100% job security. And, it so happens, the trade market is flush with attractive catching options.
Murphy, 28, is seen as even more likely to move than Laureano. The Giants could kill two birds with one stone, and they wouldn't have to throw it very far.
Jansen, 27, is part of a catching logjam in Toronto. He hit .260/.339/.516 (an .855 OPS) with 16 home runs in 215 at-bats last season, is seen as the most likely to be dealt.
9. Dansby Swanson
Besides Correa, Swanson is the last of the four top free-agent shortstops and would be in close competition with Nimmo for the next-best remaining position player. However, the Giants aren't believed to be serious players in his market.