Five Reasons Marcus Semien Fits the SF Giants Perfectly

Reason Marcus Semien Fits With The SF Giants:
4. Short-Term Contract

Entering his third offseason as the Giants president of baseball operations, Zaidi has signed just one player to a multi-year deal: Wilmer Flores. As the Giants competitive window possibly opens up, fans should expect Zaidi to be more aggressive on the open market. With that said, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to believe Zaidi will still be partial to shorter contracts.

Given Semien’s 2020 struggles, relative youth, and the dire straights awaiting him in free agency, he seems like the perfect candidate for a one-year deal to rebuild his value and reenter the market next offseason. His agent will likely attempt to secure a multi-year offer that includes an opt-out after next season, but no team is likely to do that without a significantly reduced annual average value.

There could be some creative contract structures that pay Semien handsomely in 2021 (perhaps around $15 million), include an opt-out after the season, and a reduced salary in years beyond it ($6 million-$8 million). If Semien regains his 2019 form, he could opt out for a huge payday, but if not, then the team would only have to pay him a salary in line with a solid starter. In this structure, Semien could secure $20 million-$30 million in guarantees while retaining one more shot at an even larger payday.

By now, Giants fans know that Zaidi values flexibility above all else. With Semien unlikely to require any significant guarantees beyond 2021, he could allow the Giants to add a star-caliber player with no long-term risk.