Giants free agency: Three power hitters to target this offseason

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 09: Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals in his second at-bat of the first inning against the Atlanta Braves in game five of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 09, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

The San Francisco Giants have made it know that they will be looking to add power to the lineup this offseason. Which free agents would fill that need?

As the San Francisco Giants continue to search for a manager to replace Bruce Bochy, they will also be looking for players to bolster their roster for the 2020 season.

Team president Farhan Zaidi has already made it clear he will look to add some power to the lineup this offseason.

Even after Mike Yastrzemski (21), Kevin Pillar (21) and Evan Longoria (20) all eclipsed the 20-homer mark last season, there is still plenty of room to add more thunder to an offense that ranked 26th in the majors with 167 home runs as a team.

There has been some talk of moving in the fences at Oracle Park.

That could help convince free-agent power hitters who had previously thought of Oracle Park as a place where home runs go to die that signing with the Giants isn’t the worst idea.

The Giants have been without a true slugger since Barry Bonds was still patrolling left field, and with no homegrown options on the immediate horizon, they will have to turn to free agency and the trade market if they want to add a big bat.

There is certainly room to add a big bat at one of the corner outfield spots, opposite Yastrzemski.

In the event that Brandon Belt is traded, they could also pursue a more traditional power hitter to man first base. With Brandon Crawford struggling offensively and Mauricio Dubon‘s skinny frame not inspiring much confidence in regular 20-homer seasons, the team could also look for a powerful middle infielder.

Ahead we’ve highlighted three very different players who are all capable of adding some pop to the lineup, should the San Francisco Giants decide to target them this winter.

ST. LOUIS, MO – AUGUST 22: Marcell Ozuna #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Busch Stadium on August 22, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images) /

OF Marcell Ozuna

Marcell Ozuna is undoubtedly one of the premier free-agent outfielders on the market this offseason. He has been an effective hitter since his time in Miami, where he earned back-to-back All-Star nods in 2016 and 2017.

The 2017 season was his best to date, as he hit .312/.376/.548 with 37 home runs and 124 RBI. That level of production is what made the St. Louis Cardinals eager to trade for him prior to the 2018 season.

He didn’t quite match those numbers during his two seasons with the Cardinals, but he remained an above-average offensive producer. This past season, he hit .241/.328/.472 with 29 home runs and 89 RBI. His batting average wasn’t ideal, but if he is able to hit 20-plus home runs in a Giants uniform, that would go a long way for the often power-starved lineup.

He would slot in as the team’s left fielder, and if the Giants choose to retain Kevin Pillar or replace him with someone of equal talent, they would have a rock-solid outfield with Mike Yastrzemski penciled in as the right fielder.

Ozuna will not come cheap and the Giants will not be the only team vying for his services.

That doesn’t mean the Giants shouldn’t inquire, though. If the price is right, he could be the power bat they’ve been searching for to anchor the middle of the lineup.

However, since it has historically been difficult for the Giants to bring in big-time free agents, let’s examine some other free agents who the Giants may actually have a better chance at acquiring.

DENVER, COLORADO – JUNE 29: Mark Reynolds #12 of the Colorado Rockies hits a 2 RBI single in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on June 29, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

1B Mark Reynolds

Over the course of 13 MLB seasons, Mark Reynolds has established himself as a guy who will hit a lot of home runs and rack up a lot of strikeouts.

The 36-year-old is certainly not the first name that comes to mind when thinking of power bats the San Francisco Giants could pursue this offseason, but he is just the kind of under-the-radar target that the team could actually nab.

The 2019 season was not his best, as he hit just .170/.290/.311 with four home runs and 20 RBI in 162 plate appearances with the Colorado Rockies before he was released in July.

However, he’s just two years removed from a 30-homer season with the Rockies, and he was still quite productive in a part-time role in 2018 when he batted .248/.328/.476 with 13 home runs in 235 plate appearances with the Washington Nationals.

If the Giants are looking to add some off-the-bench pop, Reynolds could fill a role similar to the one that Michael Morse did during the 2014 season.

Plus, if Brandon Belt is traded, he would be an option to platoon at first base with someone like Chris Shaw or Austin Slater, provided the team doesn’t upgrade via free agency or trade.

After he was forced to settle for a minor league deal each of the past three offseasons, there’s no doubt Reynolds would come cheap. At the very least, he would be an intriguing flier as a non-roster invitee to spring training.

He’s not the only under-the-radar target the Giants could pursue in an effort to add some depth on the infield and some pop to the lineup.

PHOENIX, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 01: Jedd Gyorko #26 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the MLB game at Chase Field on September 01, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Dodgers defeated the Diamondbacks 4-3. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

IF Jedd Gyorko

Jedd Gyorko is very much in the same camp as Mark Reynolds.

Both are coming off disappointing 2019 seasons, but both have proven that they can regularly hit the ball out of the park in the past.

Gyorko, 31, hit just .174/.248/.250 with two home runs in 101 plate appearances last season while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers. He dealt with back, calf and wrist injuries in 2019 and was limited to just 62 games as a result.

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If he can put those injuries behind him, he’s capable of being a productive player.

Gyorko slugged 30 home runs in his first season with the Cardinals in 2016, and he was a 2.0 WAR player as recently as 2018 when he filled a super-utility role and played all four infield spots.

At his best, he’s been a Donovan Solano type, only with legitimate power.

A versatile guy who can come off the bench and hit a dinger or get a big hit in a key situation can be a real difference-maker over the course of a season.

Farhan Zaidi understands as well as anyone that the offseason is not all about big-name acquisitions. Searching for diamonds in the rough is how he unearthed guys like Justin Turner, Chris Taylor, and Max Muncy during his time in the Los Angeles Dodgers front office.

Just look at what Howie Kendrick is doing for the Washington Nationals this postseason. He’s not the flashiest, youngest, or most powerful player, but he has been clutch and is a big reason why that the Nationals have a chance to win the World Series.

A way-too-early 2020 Opening Day roster prediction. Next

In a dream world, Marcell Ozuna lands in San Francisco and is penciled into the middle of the batting order for the foreseeable future. Recent history says that probably won’t happen, though, so targeting players like Mark Reynolds and Jedd Gyorko may be the team’s best bet to add some power to the roster this offseason.

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The San Francisco Giants have made it know that they will be looking to add power to the lineup this offseason. Which free agents would fill that need?

OF Marcell Ozuna

1B Mark Reynolds

IF Jedd Gyorko

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