It appears the Giants aren't done trying to make moves this offseason.
The team is “talking to” free agent outfielder Joc Pederson, The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reported on Wednesday, citing multiple sources.
Pederson is no stranger to the Giants, of course. The 28-year-old from Palo Alto, spent all seven years of his career with the NL West rival Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Switching sides in the rivalry would be interesting.
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi monitored Pederson during his time serving as the GM with the Dodgers. When Pederson would dip in numbers, Zaidi was there to tell the media he had confidence the outfielder would figure out his adjustments at the plate. Zaidi also liked what he saw from Pederson in 2018 heading into spring training, calling him a “bright spot.”
Giants manager Gabe Kapler also has ties to Pederson from his time as director of player development with the Dodgers.
So the connection is easy to see, and the Giants could benefit from a left-handed bat in the outfield. Pederson has the ability to hit anywhere in the lineup. The Giants also would like to have him on their team due to the fact he was a bit of a Giants killer in 2020 (.280/.419/.480 with seven hits in nine games).
San Francisco Giants
His numbers in the postseason alone make him a salivating option for the team.
RELATED: Report: Giants interested in outfielders Rosario, Bradley Jr.
Pederson is coming off a World Series-winning season. Despite batting .190 in the regular season, he batted sensationally in the postseason, slashing .382/.432/.559 with a .991 OPS and just six strikeouts in 34 at-bats.
It’s easy to see why the conversation between the Giants and Pederson is taking place.
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