Most teams don’t enter free agency with absolutes. The Giants, though, have quite a few.
They need to improve their defense, which ranked 30th in Fangraphs’ holistic fielding metric. They need more speed on the basepaths, where select players swiped bags efficiently but the club took the fewest extra bases in baseball. They need power in the middle of the order to return to 2021-level mashing.
Maybe more than anything, the Giants need players who can do some or all of those things against both sides pitching, so the lineup becomes less platoon dependent. Other than Thairo Estrada and Wilmer Flores, there may not be an ingrained Giant capable of playing every day, matchup-proof, going forward.
Based on those wholesale needs, a player’s specific position may become less important.
That doesn’t mean the Giants are in a miserable spot. San Francisco went 81-81 last year. A couple additions who can clean up those issues could make a serious difference, even in a competitive National League West.
“I think it’s a solid group at the major-league level,” new general manager Pete Putila told The Athletic this week. “There’s a lot of depth. The roster doesn’t fall off a cliff and that’s important. When you add to that sort of a roster, you can see things improve quite a bit.”
Putila, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and the rest of San Francisco’s front office has the resources to make additions — whether via free agent signing or trade.
The Giants have a hole in the rotation to fill, but addressing the lineup is the biggest priority. Here are 10 position player free agents SF might target when free agency officially opens on Nov. 10.
Trea Turner, SS, 30
2022 stats: .298/.343/.466, 21 HR, 100 RBI, 6.3 fWAR
Turner is a consummate five-tool player and, when at his best, plays a jaw-dropping style of baseball. His slides are among the most iconic actions in the sport and he consistently makes flashy plays up the middle. Imagine double play turns by Turner and Brandon Crawford.
The easiest way to improve defensively is to put studs in the middle of the diamond — at shortstop, second base and center field. Turner has experience both at shortstop and second, so he could both spell Crawford and play alongside him.
Over the past three seasons, only Aaron Judge has amassed more Fangraphs WAR among position players. The 2021 batting champion has led MLB in stolen bases twice and recorded an above average OPS+ in all seven of his full seasons.
If you’re still unconvinced, just take Jon Hamm’s word for it.
Aaron Judge, OF, 30
.311/.425/.686, 62 HR, 131 RBI, 11.5 fWAR
Judge bet on himself and turned in not just the greatest walk year ever, but one of the most dominant single seasons ever.
The Yankees outfielder broke the American League record with 62 homers and led MLB in runs, OPS, RBI, on-base percentage, slugging and total bases. Basically every statistic that matters.
The behemoth Judge carried New York’s offense on his shoulders for most of the second half and will likely take home his first MVP trophy.
Even if a repeat of 2022 is unrealistic, Judge would significantly help in all of San Francisco’s areas of need. Perhaps most remarkably, Judge’s OPS+ against righties and lefties were almost identical (163 and 164).
Durability is always the concern for Judge, who will be 31 for the 2023 season. But turning away the Linden, CA phenom, if he wants to return closer to home, would likely be bolder than offering him what he and agent Scott Boras demand.
Carlos Correa, SS, 28
.291/.366/.467, 22 HR, 64 RBI, 4.4 fWAR
Correa is one of the youngest free agents available, and his next team will get a handful of his prime years.
Like Judge, durability is a concern for Correa. But San Francisco’s infield depth could allow him to somewhat manage his load — particularly if he’s willing to be flexible with positioning.
Correa’s defensive metrics took a dip in 2022, but some within the sport consider his fielding ability as elite as any other shortstop’s.
Among the shortstops available this winter, Correa may have the best mix of talent, postseason track record and age to project future success.
Brandon Nimmo, OF, 29
.274/.367/.433, 16 HR, 64 RBI, 5.4 fWAR
Nimmo, though he doesn’t steal a ton of bases, would solve San Francisco’s problems at the leadoff spot and in center field. Gabe Kapler could just pencil him into both spots every day.
Nimmo is an on-base machine. He brings energy, sprinting to first base on walks — an outcome that happens quite frequently — and has a plus glove in center.
After being protected earlier in his career, Nimmo posted neutral platoon splits (.808 vs. .786 OPS) in 2022. San Francisco could do much, much worse than an outfield of Austin Slater, Mike Yastrzemski and Nimmo — especially if it can also inject some thump with an infielder and DH.
Xander Bogaerts, SS, 30
.307/.377/.456, 15 HR, 73 RBI, 6.1 fWAR
Even though his hard-hit and power numbers — particularly against fastballs — ticked down in 2022, Bogaerts still hit over .300 with a 131 OPS+. He also played by far his best defensive season, rare for a shortstop at this stage of his career.
A two-time World Series champion with the Red Sox, Bogaerts is regarded as among the most respected clubhouse leaders in the sport.
Since 2018, Bogaerts’ 134 wRC+ trails only Fernando Tatis Jr. — who has played 368 fewer games — among shortstops. If the Red Sox balk, which seems increasingly likely based on their previous offer and signing of Trevor Story, Bogaerts could be the best hitting shortstop available.
Josh Bell, 1B, 30
.266/.362/.422, 17 HR, 71 RBI, 2.0 fWAR
A switch-hitting first baseman with perennial 20-homer power? Sounds like a guy who would look quite nice in a Giant uniform.
Bell hit 37 bombs in his All-Star 2019 season with the Pirates, 27 the next year and 17 with the Nationals and Padres in 2022. He’s durable and, since he puts the ball in play frequently, could benefit from the shift ban.
Bell may be underrated and could be in the market for a deal in the $15 million AAV range. For a guy with middle-of-the-order potential, that might be a steal.
Dansby Swanson, SS, 28
.277/.329/.447, 25 HR, 96 RBI, 6.4 fWAR
Swanson is a power over on-base hitter and put together his best overall season in his walk year. In 2022, he was the second best fielder in baseball in terms of outs above average.
But even with a track record of hitting for power, Swanson has only recorded two seasons with an above-average OPS+. And before 2022, metrics didn’t love his glove.
Shortstop is an area of need long-term for the Giants, especially if Marco Luciano ends up switching out of the spot. Even if Luciano remains a shortstop, that would only present a great “problem” for SF to address.
He’ll be 29 for the 2023 season and could earn a contract similar to that of Bogaerts, Turner and Correa. Swanson might not be the most enviable shortstop, but he’s a valuable player nonetheless.
Mitch Haniger, OF, 31
.246/.308/.429, 11 HR, 34 RBI, 0.8 fWAR
The Mountain View native went to Cal Poly, making the Bay Area connections obvious. He’ll be 32 this season and has battled a number of injuries, but received MVP votes in both 2020 and 2018.
Haniger isn’t a plus defender, but if San Francisco thinks he could be serviceable in a corner, he’d be a commendable addition on a one-year deal.
José Abreu, DH, 35
.304/.378/.446, 15 HR, 75 RBI, 3.9 fWAR
The 2020 American League MVP ranked in the 97th percentile in hard-hit rate and 98th in expected batting average last year. Even though his counting numbers were down, he still projects as an effective hitter in his mid-30s.
The three-time All-Star might be in the market for a short-term, big money deal — a structure that has been appealing for San Francisco’s front office.
If the Giants decide to use a single player at the designated hitter spot, Abreu might be the best choice. But Wilmer Flores, J.D. Davis and potentially Evan Longoria might each be suited for part-time DH duties, making that possibility tenuous.
Joey Gallo, OF, 29
.160/.280/.357, 19 HR, 47 RBI, 0.6 fWAR
One of the best defensive corner outfielders in the game, Gallo could help support a Giants team that struggled to convert balls into outs. He hit 38 homers and walked an AL-high 111 times in 2021 — elite power and on-base factors that resemble the modern “three outcomes” game.
The Giants may prefer to add players who put the ball in play more frequently, especially with the shift ban coming. But if SF believes in Gallo’s production as a left-handed platoon player, his glove makes for a potentially attractive tradeoff.
At 29, Gallo is worth a flier. Especially if the Giants’ hitting coaches can tweak his approach to make him less chase-happy.
Honorable mentions
Joc Pederson (would need to be full-time lefty DH platoon), Brandon Belt (coming off knee surgery), Willson Contreras (no immediate catching need with Joey Bart), Anthony Rizzo (qualifying offer), Michael Conforto (prove-it), Kevin Kiermaier (glove-first but coming off injury)