After missing the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, the San Francisco Giants decided to move on from manager Bob Melvin. Who they decide to replace him with will severely impact San Francisco's immediate and future outlook.
But at least on paper, the Giants look like a team that wants to compete. They have the ninth-highest payroll in baseball at over $178 million, via Spotrac. Furthermore, San Francisco pulled off a blockbuster trade to bring slugger Rafael Devers to the Bay Area.
Competing in the NL West will be difficult as long as the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks are all competitive. Still, the Giants ended their season just two games out of a Wild Card spot.
With a little extra firepower, perhaps San Francisco gets over the postseason speedbump. Staring them right in the face is the perfect free-agency addition in right fielder Kyle Tucker.
Giants' right-field situation
Throughout the 2025 campaign, seven different players earned a start in right field. Mike Yastrzemski had the most with 85. However, he was traded to the Kansas City Royals at the deadline. He is set to be a free agent, meaning the Giants could theoretically bring him back. However, San Francisco may prefer to take a bigger swing in terms of getting back into contention.
After him was Luis Matos, who made 30 starts. He hit .221 with eight home runs, 22 RBIs and four stolen bases over 57 games total. Perhaps the Giants give Matos more of an opportunity. Or they could use him as a fourth outfielder rather than having him deadlocked into right field.
Drew Gilbert got his first taste of major-league action in 2025, hitting .190 with three home runs and 13 RBIs over his first 39 games. A former top prospect, Gilbert still has plenty of potential. But he needs to prove himself at the major-league level.
Players like Jerar Encarnacion, Grant McCay or Tyler Fitzgerald could theoretically take over the right-field spot. But none of them have fully proven themselves at the position.
Instead, the Giants must go for one of the biggest fish in the free-agency pond. They would no longer have a revolving door in right. And signing Tucker would give San Francisco the top-flight free-agency signing they've been craving for numerous offseasons.
What Kyle Tucker brings to the table
The Giants certainly won't be the only team vying for Tucker's services. The Chicago Cubs will likely do everything in their power to retain him given their current playoff run. But if Tucker hits the open market, he's the perfect free agent for San Francisco to pounce on.
The outfielder did deal with a bit of a slump and some injuries during his Cubs debut. However, he still managed to make his fourth-straight All-Star Game and ended up hitting .266 with 22 home runs, 73 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.
It's important to note that no player on the Giants recorded a 20/20 season in 2025.
Over his entire eight-year MLB career, Tucker has hit .273 with 147 home runs, 490 RBIs and 119 stolen bases. He offers a consistent approach at the plate and plenty of both power and speed. Ultimately, Tucker is the exact type of hitter you want right in the middle of the lineup.
The Giants will have plenty of firepower entering 2025. Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman make for a solid core. If Jung Ho Lee, Patrick Bailey and Bryce Eldridge take a step forward, their lineup will be even more fearful.
But signing Tucker would send a direct message to the NL West and MLB at large. The Giants are not playing around and are serious about being playoff contention. Adding arguably the best player available in free agency would certainly put San Francisco on the map.
