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The Giants are “in talks” with free agent slugger Jorge Soler, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. It’s unclear how shut the perimeters are in these talks or if something is imminent.
The 32-year-old Soler opted out of the ultimate 12 months and $13M of a three-year, $36M cope with the Marlins firstly of the offseason. That appeared like a foregone conclusion after the 2019 American League dwelling run chief (48) posted one in every of his finest seasons in 2023. Serving as a part-time proper fielder and common DH in Miami, Soler .250/.341/.512 (126 wRC+) with 36 dwelling runs. Final 12 months’s 11.4% stroll fee and 24.3% strikeout fee had been each the second-best marks of his profession, and Soler continued to ship his typical model of loud contact. His 91.3 mph common exit velocity (81st percentile) and 48% hard-hit fee (84th percentile) each positioned him among the many finest within the recreation.
A slot in San Francisco appears pretty apparent. Soler would instantly develop into the highest energy menace in a usually light-hitting Giants offense. Final season, San Francisco was nineteenth within the huge leagues in dwelling runs, twenty fourth in runs scored, twenty eighth in common (.235), twenty fourth in OBP (.312) and twenty seventh in slugging (.383).
Whereas Soler doubtless gained’t see a lot time within the outfield, he’s a pleasant right-handed complement to left-handed nook outfielders like Michael Conforto and Mike Yastrzemski. Manufacturing towards left-handed pitchers, specifically, was an issue for the 2023 Giants (.245/.306/.376). Soler’s mammoth .277/.393/.688 output towards lefties final 12 months would characterize an unlimited increase to San Francisco in such conditions. Soler might be a part of Conforto and Yastrzemski in a rotation via the nook outfield spots and designated hitter, spending extra time on the latter.
From a payroll vantage level, the Giants can simply accommodate Soler or simply about any free agent in the marketplace. Their offseason trades transport out Anthony DeSclafani, Mitch Haniger and Ross Stripling have helped to drop the payroll to a projected $154M — nicely shy of the franchise-record $200M. They’re comparable well-situated with regard to the luxurious tax — about $37M shy of the primary threshold, per Roster Resource.
Soler has drawn curiosity from groups a number of groups this winter, however many have since crammed their designated hitter vacancies with extra inexpensive free brokers. The Mariners (Mitch Garver, two years/$24M), Blue Jays (Justin Turner, one 12 months/$13M) and Diamondbacks (Joc Pederson, one 12 months, $12.5M) have all gone in different instructions. Pederson, notably, was one of many high energy hitters on the identical Giants roster that’s now stated to be in talks with Soler. His departure solely additional underscores the necessity to replenish the lineup with somebody able to hitting in the midst of the order.
The Giants have been lively in free company this winter however had been unable to safe high targets Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, each of whom not solely signed elsewhere however landed with the archrival Dodgers. San Francisco did lure high KBO outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to Oracle Park on a six-year, $113M contract, they usually’ve additionally signed flame-throwing Jordan Hicks with a watch towards shifting him from the bullpen to the rotation. Backup catcher Tom Murphy additionally inked a two-year, $8.3M deal. Typically talking, nonetheless, it’s been a troublesome offseason when it comes to participant acquisition for the Giants. Including Soler could be the largest increase the workforce has made to its lineup to date, although time will inform whether or not a deal finally involves fruition.
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