SF Giants: Which Players are Free Agents this Offseason

The SF Giants offseason plans are already underway, and we’re going to take a look at the players set to enter free agency this offseason.

It should be an interesting offseason for the SF Giants as they look to add a left-handed bat, a veteran reliever, and starting pitching depth.

With that being said, they will have several free agents hitting the market after the World Series who could also fit those needs.

In his first full offseason at the helm, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi had several key free agents including Madison Bumgarner, Stephen Vogt, and Will Smith. He did not re-sign any of the three.

On top of this, he non-tendered outfielder Kevin Pillar thereby making him a free agent.

However, I would not expect that to be the norm. Heading into this offseason, the Giants list of key free agents includes Kevin Gausman, Drew Smyly, Tony Watson, and Trevor Cahill. Additionally, both Jeff Samardzija and Pablo Sandoval will be free agents, but neither finished the season with San Francisco.

For what it is worth, the Giants have already expressed interest in re-signing both Gausman and Smyly, and the interest appears to be mutual.

So, while the Giants watched as their key free agents signed elsewhere last offseason, I would expect a different outcome this time around.

With that being said, Zaidi has proven that he can fill roster holes in creative ways, so there is a nonzero chance that he looks elsewhere altogether to fill those holes.

Ahead is a breakdown of each of the four remaining SF Giants set to reach free agency this offseason

Right-Handed Pitcher Kevin Gausman

Kevin Gausman quickly became the de facto ace and workhouse of the SF Giants rotation in 2020. He came over to the Giants as a free agent last season on a one-year, $9 million pact.

Before this, Gausman spent the bulk of his career with the Baltimore Orioles before making brief stops with the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. Despite being the fourth overall pick in the 2012 draft, it seemed like he never lived up to the hype that comes with that high of a pick.

Before 2020, the right-handed hurler posted a 47-63 record with a 4.30 ERA (4.12 FIP) and a 3.05 SO/W ratio. He clearly had electric stuff and he could command it in the zone at will, but the stuff never matched the results.

Upon joining San Francisco, Gausman found another gear. Albeit in a small sample, the right-hander generated a 3.62 ERA (3.09 FIP) with 79 strikeouts across 59.2 frames. On top of this, he struck out 32.2 percent of the hitters he faced, which was by far the highest mark of his career.

The increase in his strikeout rate could be due in part to the increased use of his split-finger with a corresponding decrease in his slider. His split-finger usage has increased in recent years, and it was an extremely valuable pitch in 2020.

Against the split-finger, opposing hitters produced a meager .106 batting average while striking out 46 times. The usage seems to be the key in his mid-career turnaround.

However, Gausman is set to be a free agent yet again. He will not cost as much as Trevor Bauer, but the 29-year-old will be one of the more sought after arms in free agency.

The Giants will have the money to spend, but his price may go beyond their comfort level. They will have a decision to make.

Right-Handed Pitcher Trevor Cahill

Can we call Trevor Cahill a journeyman pitcher? It sure feels that way. He has spent a good chunk of his career with either the Oakland A’s or the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he has pitched for a handful of other teams as well throughout his 12-year career.

In his career, the right-handed pitcher has proven to be a quality arm, who can throw out of both the rotation and the bullpen. There is value in that.

Before the 2020 season, the 32-year-old had accumulated an 84-92 overall record with a 4.20 ERA (4.40 FIP, 98 ERA+). He is basically the league-average pitcher, and that is good enough to continue getting roster spots.

After a down year in 2019 where he generated a 5.98 ERA across 102.1 innings, Cahill was not in the market for a guaranteed contract. The SF Giants needed pitching depth, and Cahill filled that need, so they brought him in on a minor league deal.

This proved to be an opportunistic move. Across 25 innings, Cahill pitched to a 3.24 ERA (4.19 FIP) with an 11.2 K/9 against a 5.0 BB/9. Interestingly, his 29.2 percent strikeout rate was the highest of his career.

Similar to what we have seen with both Kevin Gausman and Drew Smyly, Cahill’s improved strikeout efficiency could be due in part to a change in pitch usage. He flashed his curveball 23 percent of the time, which is a pitch opposing hitters did not register a hit against.

After a solid year in a shortened season, Cahill will be a free agent yet again. I do not think his market will be as robust as either Gausman or Smyly, but he will have some interested teams. I would expect one of those teams to be the Giants.

Left-Handed Reliever Tony Watson

After a successful, three-year stint with the SF Giants, Tony Watson is poised to hit free agency for the second time in his career.

Over the last decade, few relievers have been as effective as Watson. Over the course of his career, the left-handed hurler has posted a 2.80 ERA (3.61 FIP) with a 1.09 WHIP and 32 saves.

Watson relies on a side-arm delivery and good command from the left side to disrupt the timing of opposing hitters. He has been about as good as anyone at disrupting timing as he has induced a ground ball in 44.3 percent of his batted ball events. Furthermore, he has generated a solid 1.26 groundball/flyball ratio.

With the Orange and Black, he has remained a solid option out of the bullpen. In three seasons, the 35-year-old has pitched to a 3.20 ERA (3.62 FIP) across 138 innings.

In 2020, the veteran reliever generated a 2.50 ERA with a 0.889 WHIP and 15 strikeouts. He continues to excel at keeping runners off of the bases.

He had a 0.53 ERA heading into the final weekend of the season, but the San Diego Padres added four runs to his ledger in just one inning of work.

As strong as his 2020 season was, there is going to be some tepidness for prospective teams when evaluating Watson. On the one hand, he strung together a really nice season. On the other hand, he has concerning peripherals such as a FIP that has sat above four in each of the last two seasons.

That said, the Giants will have a tough time replacing the reliability that Watson has demonstrated if he leaves via free agency.