SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants might not be a powerhouse on the field right now, but there’s no doubt that they continue to be one of the franchises that shapes offseasons.
For months, league executives have talked about the Yankees, Dodgers and Giants dipping under the tax line so they could increase spending in years to come, and Larry Baer and Co. have a strong recent history of ending up in rooms with the big names.
One year before Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija signed massive deals, the Giants got to the final stages with Jon Lester. They were part of a small group to get a meeting with Shohei Ohtani last offseason, and a couple of weeks before Ohtani picked the Angels, a deal with the Marlins was close before Giancarlo Stanton decided he wanted to be a Yankee.
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Even the Mark Melancon deal was a headliner at the time -- the largest contract ever handed out to a closer, later to be topped by Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman’s deals.
The Giants like to make a splash, especially when they’re in a situation like their current one. But can they realistically aim that high?
As free agency kicks off, let’s look at the top five names out there and the Giants’ potential to chase them. You can go a number of different ways, but we’ll use a list Jeff Passan recently put out on Yahoo! Sports.
Manny Machado
San Francisco Giants
Given the fact that he can play short or third, Machado generally gets a slight edge over Harper, who would be stuck in a corner outfield spot.
You can cross Machado’s name off the Giants' list right away, though, and not because of his antics in the postseason. In a league where Chapman and Roberto Osuña so easily found suitors, Machado won’t be hurt by the way he plays the game.
He’ll get paid, but the Giants already have a Gold Glove shortstop (Brandon Crawford) who is signed through 2021 and a third baseman (Evan Longoria) who is signed through 2022. There’s no room for help on the left side of the infield, so Josh Donaldson wouldn’t be a fit, either.
Bryce Harper
Unless a new head of baseball operations changes the course of the franchise, the Giants will try to get in a room with Harper.
Team officials have been quietly talking about him for a couple of years, and there’s a belief in the front office that Harper will consider playing in San Francisco, where he could try to be a franchise savior just a short flight from his Las Vegas home.
Patrick Corbin
There was a report a few weeks ago that the Giants would chase Corbin, but given the timing, that sure seemed to come from a hopeful agent. Corbin is the best starting pitcher on the market, and the Giants probably should continue to bolster their staff this offseason if they want to contend.
If a Dallas Keuchel or Charlie Morton is sitting there looking at a depressed market, the Giants should poke around. But Corbin could land a nine-figure contract, and this organization doesn’t need to hand out any more five-year deals to starting pitchers. And if they do ever do it again, the name on the check should be Madison Bumgarner.
A.J. Pollock
A 30-year-old outfielder who has a long injury history, Pollock is exactly the type of player who has gotten the front office in trouble in the past. At the same time, the Giants absolutely are desperate for outfield help, and Pollock might be the best option outside of Harper.
It’s a tricky one. The Giants probably should stay away from aging outfielders, but there’s no simple path to fixing this offense if they want to contend, as they continually say they do.
Given what happened to free agency last offseason, the best move probably would be to wait it out a bit and see if a Pollock or Michael Brantley or even Andrew McCutchen comes at a less-than-expected price.
Craig Kimbrel
Passan listed several players as options for the fifth-ranked free agent spot, including Donaldson, Keuchel, Brantley and Morton. But Kimbrel is the best closer available, even after a shaky postseason.
But the Giants won’t be in this market. They have a closer in Will Smith, and probably should wait a generation or two before giving another closer $50-plus million.