The Giants have added an infield player via signing Willie Adamsand retain Matt Chapman He signed the third baseman to a six-year, $151MM contract extension back in September, exiting free agency entirely. With the Giants still considering big moves, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports: “Pete Alonso on their radar” as a major upgrade to the first base/DH combo.
As far as the current situation is concerned, Lamont Wade Jr. Will get most of the first base hitters as will likely be the left-handed batting side in a platoon situation. Still, there are reports that San Francisco is open to trading Wade and that the Giants are also interested in signing him. Paul Goldschmidt Before Goldschmidt joined the Yankees. best prospect Bryce Eldridge Viewed as the long-term answer at first base, with Eldridge making his Triple-A debut in 2024, a short-term signing like Goldschmidt would make sense as a bridge at the position.
Adding Alonso would only change that direction somewhat. If Alonso takes over the everyday first base role, Wade could be moved to a part-time DH role, and Wade will be a free agent next winter, so he may not remain in the Giants’ future plans. Eldridge plays some outfield in 2023 but is largely viewed as a first baseman moving forward, so he and Alonso could form a strong first base/DH combination, even if that arrangement would Target these two spots for the next few years.
There’s also the possibility that Eldridge could be a significant trade chip that the Giants can use to fill other needs, or that Alonso isn’t necessarily a long-term addition. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has learned from multiple league executives that Alonso’s next contract may contain an opt-out clause or two, allowing Alonso to re-enter the market as early as the 2025-26 offseason. Alonso’s agent, Scott Boras, has included such opt-out clauses in the deals of several of his clients in recent years, in some cases making it easier for the team and departures. Ideal platform for vintage players creating extra flexibility.
Arguably, Alonso is coming off a relatively down year, as he has posted a solid but unspectacular 121 wRC+ since the start of the 2023 season. During that span, the first baseman hit .229/.324/.480 with 80 home runs in 1,353 plate appearances while providing little value with his glove or on the basepaths. Clubs have become increasingly wary of investing big money into players who only play first base, and Alonso’s increasing home run approach has raised questions about his overall offensive value.
While Alonso’s options may be increasingly limited, Oracle Park may not be the best venue for the right-handed hitter to re-establish his value. Yankees (Goldschmidt), Astros (Christian Walker), rattlesnake (Josh Naylor) and the Nationals (Nathaniel Lowe) meets their needs from the start. MLBTR’s Leo Morgenstern recently looked at Alonso’s market and noted that the Giants, along with the Reds, Tigers, and Blue Jays, could be dark horse candidates for the slugger, with Alonso more likely than the Mets Renewal.
In fact, most executives Feinsand spoke to “believe a reunion between Alonso and the Mets is inevitable,” even if such a deal involves an opt-out clause. Mets still with Alonso and Alex Bregmangiving the team an interesting top corner infielder option Mark Ventos Can play first or third base, depending on the player signed. (Alternatively, the aggressive Mets could sign both Bregman and Alonso, with Vientos moving to DH, which isn’t entirely out of the question.) Jon of the New York Post Jon Heyman writes that there remains a “considerable gap” between Alonso and the Mets in their current negotiations.
With both Adams and Alonso rejecting qualifying offers, the Giants would have to give up two other draft picks and another $1MM in international bonus pool money if they added Alonso to their new shortstop ranks. That might not necessarily be a hurdle, as the Giants already gave up two draft picks and $1MM to sign Chapman and Blake Snell (Two other eligible free agents) last offseason. RosterResource estimates San Francisco’s payroll through 2025 at about $167.1 million and the luxury tax at about $207.5 million, so adding Alonso is feasible, even if it’s unclear how much the team is willing to spend on next year’s roster.
giants quest corbyn burns It’s suggested the club is willing to spend again, although Slasser noted they would offer Burns no more than the $210MM the right-hander received from the Diamondbacks over six years. In fact, Slasser believed the Giants’ courtship of Burns was rather limited, writing, “San Francisco’s pursuit never got beyond initial negotiations at the general manager’s meeting…and the offer made at that time did not move things forward. .
president of baseball operations Buster Posey In a text message to The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly about the Giants’ next steps, Posey wrote: “We believe in our young arms and think they are capable of taking some big steps forward. [We] Will continue to look for players on offense who can give us the opportunity to score in a variety of ways.”.
