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It's been a rather rough offseason for the San Francisco Giants so far. After just missing out on signing Aaron Judge to anchor their lineup for the next decade or so, the Giants turned their attention to Carlos Correa, and they seemed set to land him on a 13-year, $350 million deal. Instead, Correa has left San Francisco at the altar, and shockingly decided to sign with the New York Mets instead for 12 years, $315 million.
This is pretty much the most crushing thing that could have happened to the Giants. They made it known they were going to be aggressive spenders this offseason, and they were pursuing many of the big name free agents available. But they have missed out on every one of those big name targets, which is a huge loss for San Francisco.
It's going to be tough to overcome the sting of just barely missing out on Correa, but the offseason isn't over for the Giants just yet. There's still time for them to make some moves that could help set them up to reemerge as a playoff contender in a suddenly crowded National League playoff picture. Let's take a look at three such moves, and see why the Giants seriously need to make these moves.
3. Re-sign Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria
The Giants probably would have liked to have avoided re-signing veterans Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria this offseason, but they don't really have any choice at this point. They struck out on their big targets this offseason, and they need players to fill in their lineup as they look to barge their way back into the playoff picture.
Both guys aren't exactly getting any younger, but they still have value as cheaper veterans who can come in and produce when they are healthy. Belt struggled last season when he played (.213 BA, 8 HR, 23 RBI, .676 OPS) but he is just one season removed from hitting 29 home runs in only 97 games of action. Longoria was a bit better (.244 BA, 14 HR, 42 RBI, .767 OPS) and is consistent if nothing else at third base.
Neither guy is going to win the Giants a World Series, but signing them to cheap, short-term deals allow San Francisco to maintain their financial flexibility for the future. These guys were key pieces in their shocking 107-win 2021 season, so maybe they can turn back the clock one last time before the Giants end up making their big move next offseason.
2. Sign Nathan Eovaldi
While the Giants were busy missing out on Judge and Correa, they also lost their top free agent in Carlos Rodon to the New York Yankees. Rodon signed with San Francisco last offseason, and ended up opting out of his deal to sign an even bigger deal with the Yankees. So to add onto all the other misses the Giants have had this offseason, they also lost their best starting pitcher in free agency.
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As previously mentioned, the big name free agent targets are all off the board. The top remaining starter on the market is Nathan Eovaldi, and if the Giants want to try to patch together their rotation, they would be wise to try to sign him. Eovaldi missed most of the second half of the 2022 season, but when he was on the mound, he remained the Boston Red Sox best starter (6-3, 3.87 ERA, 103 K, 1.24 WHIP).
Eovaldi has proven that when he can stay healthy, he's one of the better pitchers in the game. And while he's not an ideal target for the Giants, they could offer him a similar deal as the one they gave Rodon last offseason in an effort to allow him to hit the market again and maximize his value. Eovaldi may ultimately be looking for a long-term deal, but it is worth exploring a potential deal for him if you are the Giants.
1. Trade for Bryan Reynolds
There aren't really any major impact players left for the Giants to sign in free agency now, which is why missing out on Correa hurts so much. However, they could make a surprise move for Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds in an effort to add to their lineup without throwing away their future financial flexibility.
Reynolds has requested a trade off of the Pirates, and while they don't seem to be in too much of a hurry to move him, the Giants have an incentive to be a bit more aggressive in pursuing him now. Reynolds is a strong hitter from both sides of the plate (.262 BA, 27 HR, 62 RBI, .807 OPS) and he can play all three outfield positions in a pinch when needed as well.
Reynolds isn't going to make the Giants a World Series contender on his own, but he's an outfielder who is in his prime and could be a piece that allows San Francisco to continue adding to their roster. They obviously have money to spend, but there's no one on the market left who is worth handing bags of money to. Reynolds could be a key piece of the Giants next World Series contender, but he also could help the 2023 team improve, which would make this a win-win move for San Francisco.
