San Francisco Giants: Nine Free Agents To Pursue at Winter Meetings

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The San Francisco Giants and new team president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi want to improve their roster this week at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.

The easiest way to do that is to sign available free agents that are on the market.

Trades are always more complicated because it requires agreeing on a fair return for all the teams involved. The draft is not until June and even then, it will take years before any draft pick is in the Major Leagues.

Ultimately, free agency is the quick fix, band-aid way to plug the holes of a sinking roster.

That roster has more question marks than answers, with several veteran players on multi year contracts with no trade clauses.

However, the team also currently has four open spots on their 40 man roster.

Zaidi made his first official move on the 40 man, claiming outfielder Mike Gerber from the Detroit Tigers. Gerber, who plays all three outfield positions, was a 2016 minor league gold glove winner, but struggled at the plate in 42 appearances at the major league level, striking out 21 times and hitting .095. Gerber does seem like a fit to replace Gorkys Hernandez, who was not tendered a contract after last season.

The Giants could lose more players off the 40 man, whether it be through trades or by releasing more players before opening day. As we look to the rest of the week in Vegas, the Winter Meetings are sure to start the ball rolling on some potential adds to the roster.

Here are some free agent options that Giants should be considering.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 23: Gio Gonzalez #47 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning at AT&T Park on April 23, 2018 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Yusei Kikuchi

The Japanese left handed pitcher is considered one of the top available arms on the open market, and the Giants have openly expressed interest in the former Seibu Lion. A former teammate of Shoehei Ohtani, Kikuchi was posted this off-season and has until January 3 to sign with a Major League team.

His agent is Scott Boras, so the price may remain high, but Zaidi has spoken about the attraction AT&T Park can be for pitchers.

First bonafide Winter Meetings factoid: Yusei Kikuchi really likes San Francisco as a potential landing spot. #sfgiants might be his first choice. From a good source not named Scott Boras.
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) December 10, 2018

Gio Gonzalez

The Giants employ former Oakland Athletic pitcher and pitching coach Curt Young, and he has worked with several available free agents in this year’s market. Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill, and Bartolo Colon are among the pitchers who have worked with Young in the past, and Gio Gonzalez might be the best of the group.

After posting a 15-9 record and a 2.96 ERA in 2017 for the Washington Nationals, Gonzalez struggled last season. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers at the August deadline and posted a 3-0 record and 2.13 ERA. After posting a 6.4 Wins Above Replacement in 2017, his numbers dropped and he posted a 1.8 overall WAR in 2018.

Young may be able to help Gonzalez find his All-Star ability he had in Oakland and showed again in 2017.

Derek Holland

Holland pitched well for the Giants last season, making the team as a non roster invitee and ending up having one of the best seasons of any pitcher on staff.

Reports say Holland is weighing multi year offers, including interest from the Giants to return.

While a reunion makes sense, the price tag will be much more significant this time around. After posting s 3/57 ERA over 171.1 innings as both a starter and a relief pitcher in 2018, he may be worth the pay raise.

One interesting statistical note is that both Gonzalez and Holland posted the same WAR last season of 1.8 and yet, based on other more traditional metrics, Holland seemed to have the superior year.

I’m hearing free agent Derek Holland is conversing with teams about potential multiyear deals after his nice bounceback year with #sfgiants, who, incidentally, are one of the teams. Led Giants in innings (171 1/3) and strikeouts (169) and had a creditable 3.57 ERA.
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) December 3, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JUNE 25: Michael Brantley #23 of the Cleveland Indians doubles against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park on June 25, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) /

Bryce Harper

The Giants want him. Bryce Harper likes San Francisco. What’s $400 million anyways?

Michael Brantley

Brantley is a great fit for what the Giants should be pursuing this off-season. Because of injuries, his market may be limited and his price may be low. When healthy, he has proven to be a dynamic player. With the Giants lack of outfield depth, he would be given every chance to succeed in San Francisco with the fresh start he may need to receive a multi year deal next off-season.

We looked at Brantley more closely earlier this off-season.

All of this adds up to a player the Giants could plug into right field and the middle of their lineup.

Avisail Garcia

The Chicago White Sox are in a full rebuild, so it was surprising to see them non tender Garcia. The 2017 All-Star struggled in 2018, but the 27 year old outfielder still hit 19 home runs despite playing only 93 games.

The Giants need power in the worst way and Garcia can certainly provide power.

It has been clear from all of the reporting after the season that the team wants to get younger and more athletic. Garcia is still young. Brantley is more than just athletic and Harper is both. If the Giants want to shore up left or right field in December, there are certainly options available to them.

Marwin Gonzalez

Farhan Zaidi has made it clear that he values positional versatility and Marwin Gonzalez is certainly that. Gonzalez, in 2018, played every position except for pitcher and catcher.

Gonzalez posted a 2.5 WAR while hitting 16 home runs and posting a .733 OPS. While not earth shattering numbers, it is certainly an upgrade over the Giants lineup last season and his versatility would allow for the Giants to move him around the diamond as injuries occur of if the team ends up trading some of their veterans.

Much like other players in this article, Gonzalez had a much better 2017 than 2018. His 4.3 WAR and .907 OPS were career bests and showed just how good he could potentially be. Now it will be up to the Giants new front office to decide if that was an outlier, or if that potential can be who he is going forward.

Josh Harrison

Harrison is another player who would help the Giants mostly for his versatility. Another 2017 All-Star who struggled in 2018, Harrison’s OPS dropped more than 100 points last season. Going from a 3.3 WAR to a 0.3 WAR was also a huge drop.

Having played both corner outfield spots as well as second, third and even shortstop, Harrison is another player who may be worth taking a chance on as much for his Swiss Army Knife skill set as anything.

Daniel Descalso

It is actually shocking that Descalso has never played for the Giants. The Redwood City native has played in the National League West for half of his career, playing for both the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Once again, his ability to play all over the diamond will be his biggest asset. Knowing the National League West would certainly be another.

The 31 year old actually had his best season last year, posting a 1.1 WAR across 138 games while playing nearly every position.

That kind of versatility coming off the bench could be invaluable to the 2019 Giants.

Zaidi may not make any big splash this week. Very often, the Winter Meetings are not where big moves are made, but where big moves begin. Whether laying the groundwork for a trade, getting closer on a deal with an agent, or just seeing what the market is for players on your own team, a lot can happen behind the scenes that we won’t see until the new year.

Next. Paul Goldschmidt Trade Opens Window in NL West

Whether Zaidi makes moves or not in Las Vegas, these free agents should be on the top of their wish list for one reason or another.

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