San Francisco Giants: Potential free-agent targets to improve infield depth

Brock Holt

Brock Holt hits from the left side and has major league experience at seven different positions. The super-utility player posted a .297/.369/.402 line in 295 plate appearances for the Boston Red Sox in 2019, and he is now set to test free agency for the first time in his career.

The 31-year-old made $3.5 million in 2019 and likely will not command a huge raise in terms of average annual value (AAV). Still, the Boston Red Sox recently announced that they plan to cut payroll in 2020, so Holt’s former employer may not have the resources to re-sign him.

Given Holt’s versatility with the glove, it would be easy for the future San Francisco Giants manager to pencil him into the lineup. Most of his experience with the glove has been at third base and second base, so he could serve as a platoon complement to either Dubon or Evan Longoria.

He also has experience at either corner outfield spot, and if the Giants wanted to feature a left-handed heavy lineup, they would have plenty of options to start Holt.

Holt also comes with a relatively lengthy track record of success. The same cannot be said for Dubon or Solano, while Crawford seems to be on the decline.

Holt, a 2015 AL All-Star, will not have contract demands that are prohibitive by any means, and he would represent a clear upgrade to the roster. Adding a player of his caliber would continue Zaidi’s trend of making smart baseball moves.

Similar to Holt, Howie Kendrick will be another quality, versatile infielder who will be available on the free-agent market.

Howie Kendrick

Howie Kendrick signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the Washington Nationals in 2018, and he posted a 132 OPS+ in 530 plate appearances over the life of that deal.

The 35-year-old still is relatively versatile, spending time at first base, second base, and third base in 2019.

Kendrick also has experience at both corner outfield positions, but he did not play an inning in the outfield in 2019. In 2018, he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, so that could have been a factor in the lack of playing time out there.

The former Los Angeles Dodger still knows how to hit. Despite his age, Kendrick remains a middle-of-the-order, right-handed bat who recorded a .340/.395/.572 line in 370 plate appearances in 2019. That included a 1.036 OPS against left-handed pitching across 126 plate appearances. He has the type of skill set to work as a platoon hitter, or to assume a larger workload in the case of injuries or regression from other players.

Given his versatility and quality bat, it would not be difficult for the Giants to get him in the lineup. He could fill in at first base against a left-handed pitcher, or work out at second base, thereby moving Dubon to shortstop to give Crawford a break. Similarly, he has experience at either corner outfield spot, if the Giants wanted to stack their lineup with right-handed hitters.

Kendrick just seems like the type of player that smart baseball teams covet. Every team he plays on is either in the playoff hunt, or expected to make a deep playoff run. When teams want to improve their roster, Kendrick is the type of player they look to add.

Like Kendrick, Ben Zobrist is on the older side, but he remains a solid, versatile option if he continues his playing career.

Ben Zobrist

Long ago, Ben Zobrist was invented in a laboratory for versatile, switch-hitting players by San Francisco Giants team president Farhan Zaidi. Zaidi is known to seek out versatility, and Zobrist is the poster child for the type of player he wants.

The switch-hitting, utility infielder just completed a four-year contract with the Chicago Cubs that paid him $56 million, minus the amount of time he spent on the restricted list this past season.

In 176 plate appearances, Zobrist recorded a .260/.358/.313 line with only one home run. The lack of power leaves a lot to be desired, but he also posted a 13.1 percent walk rate against a 13.6 percent strikeout rate, so he still controls the strike zone.

The numbers on the surface do not seem great, but he did finish the season on a positive note. After the 38-year-old returned from the restricted list, he batted .284 with a .765 OPS in 77 plate appearances.

How he finished the 2019 season is more in-line with what to expect from Zobrist. He may not hit for much power anymore, but he is a difficult out and knows how to get on base.

His .358 on-base percentage would be two basis points behind Donovan Solano for the Giants team lead in on-base percentage with a minimum of 100 plate appearances. The San Francisco Giants, as a team, only recorded a .302 on-base percentage in 2019, which ranked 14th out of 15 teams in the National League. This is a clear area of need.

Like Kendrick and Holt, Zobrist is about as versatile as a player can be. He has significant experience in the infield and outfield, and given that he is a switch-hitter, managers do not have to think too hard about how to get his name into the lineup.

For Zobrist, the question will be whether he wants to continue his playing career. At 38 years old, he has accomplished a lot, including earning three All-Star nods to go along with two World Series titles.

Adding a player like Zobrist, Holt, or Kendrick is not necessarily a win-now move, but rather is about improving the roster. These players would give the Giants plenty of flexibility, as they would improve the middle infield depth, and would give the team additional coverage in the outfield.

None of the three would require a substantial financial commitment, but all three would give the San Francisco Giants flexibility. The goal for Zaidi is to continue making smart baseball moves, and adding any of these three would achieve that end.