San Francisco Giants Seen as 'Likely Landing Spot' for All-Star Slugger

Will the San Francisco Giants make another big signing this winter?

Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) reacts after the Mets defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the NLCS during the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants have had a solid offseason so far, but this could be a team that is still looking to improve before the start of the season. 

It has been a tough couple of years for the Giants, who have fallen behind some of their rivals in the division by a wide margin. However, bringing in Buster Posey as the new president of baseball operations will hopefully change the course of the franchise. 

So far, Posey has been able to make a couple of notable moves to improve the team. There was the big splash in free agency that brought in Willy Adames—San Francisco had a desire to bring in a slugger for the middle of their order and the talented shortstop was one of the best available. 

Also, the Giants were able to sign future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander to a one-year deal. The veteran right-hander will be motivated to bounce back from a down year in 2024, with the hopes of getting closer to 300 wins. 

With two big names already signed, Posey and San Francisco might not be done just yet in free agency. 

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently spoke about the Giants as being one of the most likely destinations for slugger Pete Alonso in free agency. He highlighted the team being superb at short-term deals that have worked out well for some players. 

“The Giants surely have room in their budget, but they are still nowhere close to their 2024 Opening Day payroll. They also have been the kings of those "one year plus one or two player option years" deals that appeal to free agents who haven't been as highly sought after as they thought they would be.”

The market for Alonso has certainly been a disappointing one for him. As one of the best sluggers in baseball since coming into the league, the down season by his standards in 2024 must really be scaring teams off. 

In 2024, the slugger hit .240 with 34 home runs, 88 RBIs, and had an OPS of .788. It was the first time in his career that his OPS dropped below .800, which didn’t come at a good time with his contract being up. 

If a lucrative long-term deal isn’t available for Alonso, he might have to pivot to a shorter-term deal. 

The Giants signed two players last year to 1+1 contracts. It worked out well for both Blake Snell and Matt Chapman, with both receiving the massive contract that they were looking for. 

For Alonso, he might be tempted to do something similar. If so, the Giants make a lot of sense with an opening at first base and top prospect Bryce Eldridge coming up soon.

Using Alonso to bridge the gap before their top prospect arrives could make a lot of sense for them, and the talented slugger can try to have a better season and test the market once again next winter.