The San Francisco Giants have been on the hunt for superstars over the last few offseasons. Unfortunately, a lot has gone wrong since then.
They were unable to sign Aaron Judge after reports surfaced that he would sign with the team. Carlos Correa also agreed to a $350 million deal before the Giants backed out due to health concerns.
They signed Blake Snell, one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball, but that’s different than signing a hitter. At the end of the day, home runs are what sell tickets. The front office understands that, the fan base understands that, and the players understand that.
This year, there may be a bigger star on the market than Judge and Correa. Juan Soto of the New York Yankees will be a free agent if he doesn’t sign a deal within the next few months, and he is expected to be worth more than $500 million.
It’s not certain whether San Francisco would be willing to spend that much money, but given its success and age, it would be well worth the investment.
Some insiders believe the team will intervene.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post listed landing spots for the left-handed hitter and listed the Giants at No. 4.
“They’ve shown interest in a Soto trade and have been trying to sign a big star in that area for years. Is a pitcher’s park a dealbreaker?”
Bringing up the ballpark issue is an interesting topic of conversation. Soto, who is on his way to becoming one of the all-time greats, could be put off by not playing in a hitter-friendly ballpark.
If he stays with the Yankees, he would have the opportunity to play in one of Major League Baseball’s more hitter-friendly ballparks.
However, money will likely be an issue in this situation. If New York offered him $500 million and San Francisco offered him $575 million, he might prefer the additional $75 million.
Agent Scott Boras has never been one to accept less than he believes his client deserves, and with Soto, who could truly reshape the market for hitters, it’s safe to say he’ll be looking for the highest dollar available.
The Giants have some other holes they need to fill, so paying a player over $500 million may not be the right decision. However, it would be a step in the right direction and could interest future free agents, which is very important.
If they want a star, nothing should stop them from signing one.
