Few surprises expected as the SF Giants approach non-tender deadline

The non-tender deadline is at 5:00 PM PST on Friday for MLB. In what can be an eventful day for many teams will likely be a quiet one for the SF Giants.

Few surprises expected as the SF Giants approach non-tender deadline

Friday is also a unique day in which teams can non-tender pre-arbitration players, thereby making them a free agent. They usually do this to bypass the waiver process in an effort to retain a player on a minor league deal.

This might be where the biggest surprise happens. Perhaps, the Giants want to create a couple of spots on the 40-man roster. They could non-tender someone like David Villar or Ethan Small, both of whom are out of minor league options and are without a defined role.

The non-tender deadline is a sign that the team plans to keep a player for the 2025 season. At times, the team and player will agree to a new contract right around that deadline. However, many of those negotiations take place at some point in January.

The Giants have five players eligible for arbitration this offseason. MLB Trade Rumors provided 2025 salary estimates for each player in parentheses:

• 1. Mike Yastrzemksi ($9.5M)
• 2. LaMonte Wade Jr. ($4.7M)
• 3. Tyler Rogers ($5.5M)
• 4. Camilo Doval ($4.6M)
• 5. Austin Warren

Warren recently attained Super 2 status, so he is set to receive a small bump from his $755,000 salary in 2024.

Yastrzemski, Wade Jr., and Rogers will be going through the arbitration process for the final time this winter. Rogers is the easiest decision to keep from the bunch as he has been an effective, high-usage reliever in the bullpen since he debuted with the club in 2019.

MLB Trade Rumors also lists Yastrzemski and Doval as non-tender candidates. The veteran outfielder has been a non-tender or trade candidate for the past season, so this is not new territory.

Yastrzemski registered a .231/.302/.437 line (106 wRC+) with 18 home runs and 57 RBI in 474 plate appearances while playing a solid right field in 2024. Overall, he was worth 1.6 fWAR, so a $9.5 million salary is right about in line for that level of production.

It is not great but the roster issues extend far beyond Yastrzemski. With that being said, the Giants might see his roster spot as one that they could allocate to a younger player. At the end of the day, he is well respected in the clubhouse and the club has hinted that they will tender him a deal.

On the surface, Wade Jr. has put up strong numbers over the past couple of seasons. He slashed .260/.380/.381 (119 wRC+) with eight home runs and 34 RBI in 401 plate appearances. That is excellent production and the type of just about every lineup could use.

Though, this has included prolong slumps, a concerning drop in power, and a lack of defensive versatility that he once had. At his cost, it is an easy decision to keep him. As with Yastrzemski, they could look to trade Wade Jr. later on.

Doval was an NL All-Star as recently as 2023 but the career arc of a reliever can be volatile. He struggled to a 4.88 ERA in 62 appearances while being supplanted at closer by Ryan Walker. Doval has never displayed above-average command but he has been passable in the past. His command took a major step back in 2024.

At that cost, the Giants likely tender him a deal given that it is easy to envision him rebounding. Plus, he still could hold some appeal on the trade market. If Doval was non-tendered, there would be no shortage of teams willing to give a shot.

Lastly, the Giants could go either way with Austin Warren. His arbitration cost will be low and he is an optionable reliever with solid topline stats but with concerning peripherals. Some of those traits are tough to find elsewhere.