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Bobby Evans discusses how Giants plan to address remaining team needs

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SAN FRANCISCO–When the offseason began, Giants’ general manager Bobby Evans and vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean conveyed a crystal-clear message.

While San Francisco had several glaring team needs to address after a 98-loss season, Evans and Sabean stated that upgrading the roster with a new starting center fielder was the Giants’ most important offseason priority.

It’s January 19, and the Giants are still looking for that new center fielder.

With Spring Training less than a month away, Evans said Friday the Giants are active in both the free agent and trade markets as they work toward finding a player who can man the middle of their outfield.

“There’s plentiful opportunity from trades and so we’re continuing to stay engaged and in pursuit of our different options and we’re pleased with our choices,” Evans said.

Though Evans was intentionally vague in a meeting with reporters following a press conference to introduce new third baseman Evan Longoria, it’s clear that San Francisco hasn’t narrowed down its focus with regard to adding another starting outfielder. After trading for Andrew McCutchen earlier this week, the Giants believe they still have plenty of time to determine who to sign or who to trade for.

Trade options include Milwaukee’s Keon Broxton, Boston’s Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton, while free agent center fielders yet to ink deals include Jarrod Dyson, Jon Jay and Cameron Maybin. With fewer than $4.5 million left to spend on 2018 payroll before the team hits the luxury tax ceiling of $197 million, Evans indicated that while the Giants are still evaluating whether to splurge on a high-profile acquisition, the franchise would prefer to acquire a cheaper alternative.

“I’ve communicated it publicly, it’s really a target and not a mandate,” Evans said, in regard to staying under the luxury tax threshold. “We see it as a target and there’s some benefits to us on the baseball side if we stay below. We want to be mindful of that, but we’re not feeling this is a requirement.”

On Friday, Evans essentially ruled out the possibility of moving outfielders Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson to center field, but said that Austin Slater has the versatility to play all three positions in the outfield. While Slater profiles as a corner outfielder, he could fill a void in center field until prospect Steven Duggar is ready for Major League action if the team does not add a center fielder before Opening Day.

“They’re just not center fielders,” Evans said of Parker and Williamson. “For us, they fit more in a fourth or fifth spot in the outfield and our targets right now are really in center field.”

Because center field remains the team’s top priority, Evans suggested the Giants are not looking to build depth for their starting rotation on the free agent market. With a top three of Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija returning to the club in 2018, Evans believes Chris Stratton and Ty Blach will enter Spring Training with a leg up on internal competition for the two slots in the rotation that remain unsettled.

Prospects Tyler Beede and Andrew Suarez pitched with AAA Sacramento last season, and both players will enter Spring Training with an opportunity to steal a job away from Stratton and Blach.

“We feel confident that we have the makings of our fourth and fifth starters with Blach and Stratton really leading the way as you go into the spring,” Evans said. “But we also don’t want, we want to allow (Andrew) Suarez and (Tyler) Beede to show us what their sense of timing is to contribute because we believe they’re both going to help us at some point. Yet again, Blach and Stratton would probably have a leg up on both.”

The Giants also started the offseason with the goal of adding a relief pitcher who could aid Hunter Strickland, Sam Dyson and Mark Melancon in the late-innings, but it appears as if San Francisco is priced out of the reliever market.

After trading Kyle Crick to Pittsburgh in the deal for McCutchen earlier this week, Evans is hoping right-hander Derek Law or Rule-5 draft choice Julian Fernandez have the command and consistency needed to fill a role in the Giants’ bullpen. Though the Giants’ general manager didn’t rule out the possibility of non-roster invitees winning jobs with the pitching staff, Evans did not sound committed to adding pitching depth in the immediate future.

“I think there will still be some late choices there for us, but again it’s not been lost on us the number of guys who’ve gone off the board on multi-year deals. There are still guys available and we’re still focused more on center field right now.”