The San Francisco Giants front office has faced plenty of criticism this offseason for inactivity in MLB free agency. However, a recent report is shedding light on the club’s efforts to add an All-Star hitter and a potential target on the open market.
According to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, San Francisco recently made an aggressive offer to the Washington Nationals to acquire All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams. The Giants push went as far as dangling top prospect Josuar Gonzalez in a package with other pieces from the farm system.
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Washington is fresh off trading starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers in a deal for five prospects. League sources Baggarly spoke to said that San Francisco talked to the Nationals about a range of potential deals involving its prospects. Among the minor-league talent discussed were pitchers Carson Whisenhunt and Jacob Bresnahan along with outfielder Bo Davidson and shortstop Jhonny Level.
Whatever offer the Giants made to Washington, it was rejected. Furthermore, per Baggarly, it is even unclear if the Nationals would have accepted an offer including Whisenhunt, Bresnahan, Davidson, Level and Gonzalez.
Abrams, age 25, boasts a .717 career OPS with 210 RBI, 116 steals, 59 home runs and 19 triples. While he has been abysmal defensively at shortstop, the belief is that San Francisco would have moved him to second base if acquired. The team has also pursued trades for Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner and St. Louis Cardinals All-Star utility player and Gold Glove Award winner Brendan Donovan.
San Francisco Giants to Pursue Outfielder in MLB Free Agency
Baggarly also noted that the Giants are poised to engage in talks with free-agent outfielder Harrison Bader. The report comes more than a month after Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the veteran center fielder piques the interest of the team.
Bader, who turns 32 years old in June, posted a .277/.347/.449 triple-slash line with a .796 OPS, 17 home runs and 11 steals across 501 plate appearances last season with the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies. Defensively, the 31-year-old rated in the 93rd percentile for Fielding Run Value and in the 91st percentile for Outs Above Average (seven).
If Bader is on the San Francisco radar, it is fair to wonder if the club might also be interested in discussing a different player with the Nationals. Washington center fielder Jacob Young, who is only 26 years old and under contract for multiple seasons, ranked in the 97th percentile for Fielding Run Value in 2025.
While the Giants have been relatively quiet this winter, it appears the door is still open for Buster Posey to adding a center fielder who will help the team defensively and a versatile second baseman who can improve the club’s run production.
