What’s left on the Giants’ list of offseason needs before spring training? Originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — Emotions were running high when the Giants arrived in Dallas for Major League Baseball's winter meetings last month. They reached a long-term deal with shortstop Willie Adams before the start of the annual campaign and dreamed of adding Corbin Burns or Paul Goldschmidt to end Buster Posey's first winter at the helm. .
A few weeks later, the Giants...well, they were almost in the exact same position.
There's a lot of optimism internally about Justin Verlander, but the 41-year-old has been the only notable addition since Adams' press conference. On top of that, the Giants have seen Burns sign with the rival Arizona Diamondbacks and nearly every other team with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Their 40-man roster is very similar to where it was at the end of last season, and even with Adams and Verlander, it's hard to argue that they're in better shape in the NFC West than they were a year ago. The heavy lifting wasn't done until spring training last season, but the Giants don't want to go through it again. However, they still have a few weeks of true "offseason" and a chance to add if they really think they can contend for a wild-card spot.
Before pitchers and catchers report to Scottsdale, they should look for upgrades in the following three areas:
The Giants only added one bat this winter, but Adams fills their biggest hole and helps cover second base. With Adams, Matt Chapman and Tyler Fitzgerald set to slide after strong rookie seasons, the Giants are ready in the infield. They're trying to upgrade at first base, but are also very happy with Lamont Wade Jr., who has hit the bases at an elite rate the past few seasons when healthy.
Patrick Bailey will see as much of the game as possible, with the outfield consisting of Mike Yastrzemski and Heliot Ramos flanked by Lee Jung-hoo, who is fully recovered from shoulder surgery.
Technically, the Giants have the everyday roster, but they still need help.
They are rumored to be interested in Randal Grichuk, a lefty who would make sense as Yastrzemski's platoon partner. Besides Wade, their only left-handed hitting infielder is Brett Wiseley, which is an obvious competitive position whether via a non-roster invite or a trade.
The best hitter right now is first baseman Pete Alonso, but the Giants haven't shown much interest, and there's good reason why Alonso isn't a fit. Long term, first base should belong to top prospect Bryce Eldridge, who is set to make his debut in 2025. If Alonso does end up agreeing to a short-term deal with the opt-out, it becomes even more likely for the Giants.
Oracle Park is not the place to rebuild a hitter's value, and with Alonso rejecting a qualifying offer, the Giants will lose two more draft picks and $1 million in international bonus pool money. This is a big deal as they've lost four draft picks over the past two offseasons and desperately need to bolster their farm system.
The best person may end up being the one being pursued in November. The Giants had shown strong interest in shortstop Kim Ha-sung before signing Adams, and Fitzgerald's presence would allow Kim to take his time recovering from shoulder surgery. If he stays healthy early in the season, Fitzgerald's versatility -- combined with the Giants not having an everyday DH -- will allow them to seamlessly add King to the mix.
The Posey era made things very simple in the front office. The Giants have the best catcher in baseball, and they backed him up first with young players — Hector Sanchez, Andrew Susak — and then with Stephen Vogt, Nick Hundley and Kurt ·Casali and other veterans. During that time, the front office rarely had to worry about a third or fourth catcher.
Tom Murphy is Bailey's current backup, but the veteran shot just 4-for-34 from the field before spraining his knee last season. The Giants hoped to have him back within weeks, but Murphy, who was about to turn 34, missed the last five months and never even came close to rehabbing duty.
The Giants signed Sam Huff from the Texas Rangers a few weeks ago and reached minor league deals with Max Stacy and Logan Porter in November. With Blake Sabol now in Boston, they could still use one more depth option in case Murphy suffers a setback this spring, although receiving depth is generally easier to come by by the end of training camp.
When asked recently about the candidates for the final rotation spot, general manager Zach Minassian noted that the Giants will need all of their options at some point this season. They felt good about their depth at this time a year ago, but it was diminished early in the season and they ended up trying veterans like Spencer Howard and Dalton Jeffries while playing A lot of bullpen play, which they weren't planning on doing.
Aside from Jack Flaherty, there's really no one on the market for a better pitching opportunity than the Giants' young players, but if Flaherty needs a pitcher-friendly ballpark to spend his time season, then the Giants should at least listen.
Joey Lucchesi, who was added earlier this week, is a savvy player who adds a potential depth starter and someone who can be the shorter third lefty on that side of the bullpen. The pen may be the strength of the team now, with Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers ready for Ryan Walker, and there are many good options such as Tyler Rogers, Randy Rodriguez, Eric Miller and Sean Yeller, but the Giants may just watch the Dodgers throw them there, as well.
With the additions of Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates in recent days, there's clearly no limit to what the Giants should try to upgrade. Barring some unforeseen circumstances that bolster the roster in the coming weeks, their best path to competition is to dominate in close games, and another trusted reliever will help with that. effort.
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