Report: SF Giants expected to pursue both Trea Turner and Aaron Judge
The SF Giants are expected to pursue both Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge and Dodgers star infielder Trea Turner in free agency this offseason, according to a report by Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Turner and Judge are currently slated to be the best free-agent position players this offseason and have long looked like ideal fits with the Giants.
Yankees outfielder (and childhood SF Giants fan) Aaron Judge talks to an MLB Network reporter after a game. (2022)
Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
"The San Francisco Giants will pursue not only Yankees star Aaron Judge in free agency, but also Dodgers All-Star shortstop Trea Turner," Nightengale wrote. "If the Yankees won’t pay the $300 million Judge wants, he could wind up in San Francisco – just two hours away from his hometown."
Nightengale suggested Turner will be a harder get for the Giants. "He is believed to prefer the East Coast and may be the No. 1 target for the Philadelphia Phillies," Nightengale wrote about Turner.
This report is not the first time either player has been tied to the Giants. FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray speculated Turner would end up in San Francisco in early September. While several Bay Area and national pundits, including ESPN's Tim Kurkjian, have discussed Judge's potential fit with the Giants for months.
Turner is one of the most underrated players in MLB. He is not only an elite defensive player at second base and shortstop but also showed the ability to be a viable defensive center fielder early in his career. Turner received his second-career All-Star selection and hit .298/.343/.466 with 39 doubles, 21 home runs, and 27 stolen bases (30 attempts) this season with the Dodgers. Over his career, the 29-year-old has a .302/.355/.487 triple-slash with 124 home runs and 230 stolen bases.
Judge was already one of the best players in MLB before this season. However, the 30-year-old took his game to another level this year with one of the best offensive seasons in league history. Judge led the American League in almost every major offensive category in 2022, blasting a single-season AL record 62 home runs with a .311/.425/.686 line. For added measure, the Linden, California native is an excellent defensive corner outfielder and has a career .977 OPS.
The SF Giants have yet to sign a free agent for more than $44 million under president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. However, Zaidi has insisted that is not a function of his overall strategy and is simply a side-effect of where the team has been since he was hired. We will see if Zaidi does finally make a big splash by signing Aaron Judge and/or Trea Turner this offseason, as Nightengale's report suggests.
