Three Lesser Known Players SF Giants Need To Target

Aside from the biggest names on the free-agent market, the SF Giants will be looking to upgrade the edges of their roster. Three under-the-radar players should be top targets.

Now that the non-tender deadline has passed, the MLB free-agent market has likely taken its final form. While a few players will surely be designated for assignment and released over the coming months, none should be expected to command more than a minor-league contract. Now that the SF Giants know all the names on the market, there’s reason to believe their roster could come into shape soon.

In the past week alone, the team has been connected to free-agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna and has been named as one of the most aggressive teams thus far in pursuit of starting pitchers. However, while fans are always clamoring for big names, the way the Giants front office handles their roster’s edges will be critical in determining whether they can contend next season.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres the clear favorites in the National League West, the Giants will need more than a couple of big upgrades to catch up to two of the best teams in baseball. Both organizations have built strong rosters from top to bottom. If San Francisco wants to be in the same conversation with them, they’ll have to make up for it in other ways as well.

Of course, finding an under-the-radar player ready to make major contributions is easier said than done. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi found a way to do it last offseason with Wilmer Flores and will be looking to do it again. From diving into non-tenders and players already on the free-agent market, here are three names that seem like top targets.

SF Giants Under-The-Radar Targets
#1 Anthony Bass

Plenty of focus has gone to big-time closers on the free-agent market, but Anthony Bass is quietly one of the strongest middle-relief/setup options available. Originally developed as a starter by the Padres, Bass bounced between starting and long-relief until 2018. Since, he’s been a solid reliever for the Cubs, Mariners, and Blue Jays. Given the SF Giants lack of right-handed bullpen arms, he’s an easy fit.

Over the past three seasons, Bass has made 86 appearances, finished 31 games, recorded 12 saves, and posted a solid 3.44 ERA (3.63 FIP). Working primarily off a mid-90s sinker, Bass does not rack up strikeouts at an elite rate. However, there’s a strong argument to be made he was one of the best relievers in baseball in 2020 and might have more room for improvement.

Per expected ERA, which estimates a pitcher’s ERA based on their strikeouts, walks, and the quality of contact they allow, Bass pitched in-line with a 2.24 ERA, better than 98% of qualified pitchers. In fact, Bass’ opponents had one of the lowest barrel-rates in baseball. Both marks rank above top free-agent relievers Liam Hendriks, Brad Hand, and Trevor May.

Relying too heavily on the small sample size of the 2020 season is a cause for concern. Bass was considered solidly average in 2018 and 2019, which would still make him a solid addition to any bullpen, but far from the elite pitcher, he looked like in 2020. Still, there’s reason to believe Bass’ repertoire made strides that he can build off of.

Bass’ slider jumped from being an above-average pitch in 2019 (37.3% whiff rate/.289 expected weighted on-base average against) to an absolutely dominating one in 2020 (52.2% whiff/.194 xwOBA). While the pitch lost 1.5 miles per hour in velocity, it gained 2.1 inches of vertical movement. Given that Bass threw the pitch 39% of the time this season, there’s a large enough sample to believe those improvements are sustainable.

His sinker, which he threw 54% of the time, has never induced a lot of swing-and-miss but generates enough ground balls to make it a strong offering. Although, another tweak to his pitch usage might allow him to be a little less reliant on his sinker and take another step forward.

Only 6.8% of his pitches in 2020 were classified as splitters, but it looked like a legitimate plus pitch. Over the past three seasons, Bass has thrown a split-finger just 134 times. Opponents have whiffed on swings over 35% of the time and have gone just 3 for 34 when they did put the pitch in play.

By increasing his splitter’s use, Anthony Bass could begin to combine his abilities to limit contact with an even strong strikeout rate. Granted, even if further development is not in play, Bass was one of the best relievers in baseball in 2020 and has been a consistently solid reliever since 2018.

SF Giants Under-The-Radar Targets
#2 Brad Miller

SF Giants fans have been clamoring for Tommy La Stella, and the fit makes a lot of sense. Without an experienced left-handed hitter capable of playing second or third base, an addition could spell Evan Longoria and Donovan Solano. However, Brad Miller has been as good an offensive player and flashed competence in the outfield.

Miller and La Stella are 31-year old left-handed hitters with significant platoon splits and a propensity to walk, but aside from that, they have polar opposite offensive profiles. La Stella put the ball in play at a better rate than anyone in baseball last season. He has solid power but derives most of his offensive value from his batting average and on-base percentage. On the other hand, Miller has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game but has big-time power.

Despite their similarities, La Stella is a stronger defensive player and a better resume against same-sided pitchers. Over the course of his career, La Stella has a passable .702 OPS against southpaws. Miller, though has posted a brutal .224/.284/.334 triple-slash in 638 career plate appearances versus lefties. With it easier to consider La Stella an everyday player, more teams are likely to come calling.

For the Giants though, a player limited to a platoon is all they really need. Solano and Longoria are far superior hitters against left-handed pitchers than either Miller or La Stella. With so many right-handed-hitting options, the Giants don’t need to target the everyday ability of someone like La Stella. Granted, neither will be very expensive, but Miller’s limitation will make him cheaper.

Over the past three seasons, Miller has played every position except for centerfield, catcher, and pitcher, while hitting .247/.329/.468 with 27 home runs in 595 plate appearances. He’s been well below-average defensively at third but is solid at second and has rated well above-average in left field.

He has his shortcomings, but Brad Miller is a versatile defender with the big-time power that could be a great late-game pinch hitter and could consistently spell the Giants starters on the infield.