Feel free to stop if you’ve heard this one before, but the San Francisco Giants aren’t happy with their recent results, and are expected to make a massive splash in MLB free agency this offseason. We know, it’s the same story that’s been told before, but this time, the Giants want you to really believe it.
Yet, there are several reasons to believe this time might actually be different. According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, the Giants have been extremely busy, checking in on the markets of several top free agents available.
Heyman indicates the Giants have already touched base with the likes of Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, and Blake Snell.
“The Giants, they’re in on everything. They’re really not happy with the fact that they’ve had two mediocre years in a row after that one great year a few years ago. They’re going big.”
MLB insider Jon Heyman on San Francisco Giants’ activity in MLB free agency
Yet, as we’ve seen the past few years, just because the Giants are in on someone, it doesn’t mean that free agent is actually set to sign a contract with San Francisco. For example, the Giants are considered one of three favorites to land former NL MVP Cody Bellinger.
Meanwhile, first-year manager Bob Melvin has a connection to former Oakland Athletics Gold Glove-winning third baseman Matt Chapman, and the Giants have already met with the former All-Star.
Other potential targets could include Japanese All-Star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who’s expected to land a record-breaking contract for a player coming over to MLB from the NPB.
Yet, the grand prize of them all would be signing Shohei Ohtani. Even though the former AL MVP won’t be able to pitch in 2024, he’d bring a massive boost to a Giants offense that ranked 14th out of 15 NL teams in runs scored in 2023.
“I think the Giants are going to be in there big [on Ohtani]. Obviously we know they’ve gone for big players over the past few years. For whatever reason, they have not been able to get them. They did have an arrangement with Correa, obviously that did not work out. But they’ve had trouble getting guys. In this case, I do think [Oracle Park] could work against the Giants. Tough park for a left-handed power hitter. … I do think the Giants probably have a hurdle there [but] I do think they will be in there big.”
Jon Heyman on Giants’ connection to Shohei Ohtani
It’s safe to say that if the Giants could reel in the biggest fish in the sea, fans would be able to quickly forget about missing on other top targets in recent years, including Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa, and more.