Five Free Agent Outfielders the San Francisco Giants Should Target

Carlos Gonzalez

Car-Go is the type of player I would covet in the outfield in like 2011 or 2012. Now? He’s a nice one year option to give the Giants some sort of production there. Car-Go was also paid around $8 million for the Rockies last year and could be had for roughly $5-$6 million or so.

Car-Go isn’t anywhere near his old self, and moving to AT&T Park probably won’t do him a whole lot of help either. However, he’s been a solid outfielder throughout his career and even had a bounce back season in 2018. 2017 was dismal, but CarGo found his feet again. He posted a decent, but not great 2018, but still was about as fruitful for the Rockies as someone like Evan Longoria was for the Giants in 2018.

CarGo’s bat however could potentially suffer at AT&T park. Defensively, he hasn’t been the same either. He’d likely play in left field and that would be that. Gonzalez is almost to “Pence” levels of ineffectiveness compared to his past, and that’s something the Giants would have to live with. He’s probably an upgrade over Slater and co., but is he enough of an upgrade to matter?

So should they look to CarGo? Maybe. I think he’d be just as good as Mac Williamson or Chris Shaw (if Shaw proves he’s truly ready for the leap). CarGo would be a solid second get if the Giants land any one of the next three players. I’d consider both Parra and CarGo as solid “Option B” types to add to the outfield. But not as good as the three remaining options.