San Francisco Giants rumor roundup: Dodgers unraveling, Cespedes/Upton buzz, Lincecum’s velocity and more

Apr 11, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Justin Upton (10) hits an RBI double to score left fielder Matt Kemp (not pictured) during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco to shoot for Justin Upton/Yoenis Cespedes?

The MLB free-agent pool this winter is a deep one as far as pitching, but the two top bats on the market are undeniably Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes. With the Giants’ ability to ditch Marlon Byrd and Nori Aoki, if they so choose, San Francisco’s interested in both All-Star caliber outfielders has already been brought up by CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman and ESPN’s Buster Olney, respectively.

Neither’s reasoning was particularly strong, however—Olney floated the Giants as one of many suitors likely to be priced out, while Heyman merely tied Upton’s offseason digs in Scottsdale (the Giants’ springtime home) as a selling point before deeming him a potential fit.

As I concluded in a recent 2016 free agency breakdown, the mutual interest in a Mike Leake extension paired with Nori Aoki’s club-friendly option will almost certainly see the Giants target another front-end starter. With the question marks surrounding the team’s rotation, in addition to the return of Hunter Pence and emergence of Matt Duffy, that’s the logical play.

Next: Lincecum's velocity