In a recent interview, the San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations confirmed the team will target the top two international players in MLB free agency this winter.
The San Francisco Giants have had just one season over .500 over the last seven years. Unfortunately, that came two years ago when they won an impressive 101 games. That is why this winter will be a pivotal one for the organization as they try to improve the roster so they can compete in a tough National League West.
Last winter, the organization made a pair of big swings for two of the top players on the free agent market. However, despite some huge offers Aaron Judge chose to go back to the Yankees, and Carlos Correa’s preexisting health issues proved to be too risky for the Giants.
While they are expected to be one of the teams in the chase for superstar Shohei Ohtani, they are not seen as a favorite for the baseball unicorn. That is they will cast a wide net when it comes to possible top-shelf targets this winter, and it looks like a pair of players on their wish list are from Asia.
San Francisco Giants targeting pair of star Asian free agents this winter
Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto is viewed by some as the best pitcher in this year’s class, and San Francisco Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi revealed during a recent appearance on the “Giants Talk” podcast the team is heavily scouting the 25-year-old star.
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto stats (2023): 17-6, 1.16 ERA, 0.860 WHIP, 176 SO, 26 BB
“It’s been a pilgrimage over there from front office people to see him. He’s really one of the top starting pitchers in the world,” Zaidi said. “I know it sounds like an exaggeration, but it’s not.”
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However, the top Giants executive also admitted that Korean baseball league MVP Jung Hoo Lee is also on the team’s radar this offseason. Lee hit 23 homeruns and had 113 RBIs for the Kiwoom Heroes in 2022.