Latest move by A's gives SF Giants model for potential Heliot Ramos extension

The A's recently signed their young star outfielder Lawrence Butler to a seven-year $65.5 million contract. This could be a solid model for the SF Giants to emulate if they decide to extend their own young outfielder Heliot Ramos.

Giants fans may scoff at the notion that the team should do anything to emulate a franchise that is going to be playing its 2025 home games in a minor league park, but this could be an instance where the Sacramento (formerly Oakland, potentially Las Vegas in the future?) A's are actually on to something.

SF Giants should emulate the A's with a potential Heliot Ramos extension

Butler and Ramos are similarly situated. Last season, the 24-year-old Butler slashed .262/.317/.490 with 22 home runs and 57 RBI. He is a promising young player and the A's have decided to lock him up now rather than wait which may end up being a prudent strategy.

Ramos' stats were not dissimilar in 2024 as he slashed .269/.322/.469 with 22 homers and 72 RBI in 121games and 475 at-bats. He also earned an All-Star nod and may have made himself a key part of San Francisco's plans going forward.

While it may have taken the 25-year-old a little longer to blossom into a solid big league player, the Giants may be wise to try and sign him to an extension sooner rather than later.

Ramos is set to make $800,000 in 2025 which is a bargain for the Giants given what he brings to the table. He will be arbitration-eligible for the first time next offseason, but the Giants may decide they want to keep Ramos around long-term and not have to deal with an arbitration process each offseason.

Of course, that will be contingent on whether Ramos is able to back up the breakout season he had in 2024. If he continues on the trajectory he began last year and earns another All-Star nod while firmly making himself a key fixture of the lineup, then the front office will have to start thinking seriously about keeping Ramos around for a while.

On the flip side of that coin, if he struggles and has a marked regression from last season then the Giants may decide to just let things play out and let him go through the arbitration process.

The A's decided to get out ahead of things by signing Butler which may end up looking like a stroke of genius if he builds upon what he did last year and gets better throughout the course of his contract. The Giants should consider doing the same thing with Ramos. It surely comes with a fair amount of risk, but by waiting they could be forced to pay much more money if Ramos has a great season than if they had extended him before the season began.

A Ramos extension is not super likely right now as the Giants are more likely to take a wait and see approach, but if he has another good season do not be surprised if president of baseball operations Buster Posey decides to reward him with a new deal.