11 former SF Giants who remain without a team prior to Opening Day

Former SF Giants available in free agency: 1B/DH Brandon Belt

After a solid bounce back season with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023, it seemed likely that Brandon Belt would be signed this offseason. That is not the case as he remains unsigned.

There was some reporting linking him to Bruce Bochy and the Texas Rangers earlier in the offseason, but that has not come to pass. Former teammate Brandon Crawford even said that he is shocked that Belt has not been signed yet.

I suppose it is important to remember that Belt is about to turn 36 and has an extensive injury history in his career. Plus, he can really only play first base in a limited capacity or be a DH and many teams may already have those areas covered.

It is possible that if a deal does not materialize soon, Belt will decide to retire. If he does, perhaps he will sign a one day contract and do it as a Giant which would be fitting after all of the great moments he had in a Giants uniform.

The next free agent is also a veteran corner infielder who may retire if he cannot find a new home.

Former SF Giants available in free agency: 3B Evan Longoria

The 38-year-old veteran Evan Longoria is still a free agent. This should not come as too much of a shock given the fact that he has been on the decline for some time.

He had a decent year with Arizona last season after 5 respectable but injury-plagued years with the Giants. In 2023 he slashed .223/.295/.422 with 11 home runs and 28 RBI in 74 games. Not terrible for a 37 year old.

However, the D-Backs traded for third baseman Eugenio Suarez in the offseason which means he will almost certainly not be back with Arizona.

Even after the Giants released J.D. Davis they still have too many options at third base so he will definitely not return to San Francisco. It does not seem like there are a ton of great opportunities for Longoria, but maybe an injury somewhere will give him a shot. If not, he may decide to retire after a great career.

The next free agent had a career revival for the Giants and even returned to them for a short amount of time last season.

Former SF Giants available in free agency: DH Darin Ruf

Darin Ruf was able to revive his MLB career with the Giants after spending time playing overseas. He was traded for J.D. Davis two seasons ago and when he struggled with the New York Mets they cut him which allowed for a brief reunion with the Giants last season as they dealt with injuries.

He went on the play for the Brewers last year after the Giants had to cut him due to a roster crunch. He sustained a knee fracture shortly after joining Milwaukee and finished the year on the injured list.

Ruf find himself in a similar situation to Longoria and Belt in that he is 37 years old, limited defensively, and his bat has cooled off considerably the last few years. There just are not many roster spots for a guy like that.

Ruf did great as a member of the Giants and was a huge part of the team's miraculous 107-win 2021 season. Like the other free agents mentioned, he may be another candidate to retire if no team takes a chance on him.

The next free agent was also a key part of the 2021 team, and it is surprising he remains unsigned given the fact that he still seems to have something left in the tank.

Former SF Giants available in free agency: IF Donovan Solano

Giants fans will remember infielder Donovan Solano for his solid seasons with the bat as a Giants from 2019-2021. He even won a Silver Slugger in the 60-game 2020 season.

Since his time as a Giant, Solano has had a couple of decent seasons for the Red and Twins. Each of the past two seasons his batting average was around the .280 mark. He has never hit for much pop, but he has proven that he is a guy who can get on base and put the ball in play.

You would think with solid numbers at the plate he would have some takers in free agency, but apparently not. Age definitely plays a factor as he is 36 years old currently. Perhaps if he had the long ball in his arsenal more teams would show interest.

He is still a somewhat versatile player as he can play around the infield if needed, although at his age the corner spots are probably more suited for him. He can also serve as a DH.

Like many others on this list, Solano may very well retire if he cannot secure a deal in free agency. He could probably get a minor league deal somewhere if he really wants to keep playing.

The next free agent is another shorter, contact-first infielder who struggled mightily during his time with the Giants.

Former SF Giants available in free agency: IF Tommy La Stella

Yet another member of the 2021 Giants, Tommy La Stella struggled to stay on the field with the Giants. When he was on the field, he was not as good as his 3-year $18.75 million contract suggested.

He played in less than 80 games in both of his two seasons as a Giant in 2021 and 2022. His batting average for those two seasons was in the .240's which was disappointing since La Stella was known for being a guy who could make contact and get hits.

The Giants released him before the third year of his deal, an admission that it was a mistake to give him that contract. Last season with Seattle did not go much better for La Stella. He slashed .190/.292/.238 in 24 plate appearances before he was released.

He has yet to be signed by another team since then. At the age of 35 and given his poor last few seasons, it would seem like his only path is to take a minor league deal somewhere. Otherwise, like many of the other players surveyed, he may decide to retire.

The next free agent you may not have even known was a Giant if you blinked last season.

Former SF Giants available in free agency: OF A.J. Pollock

A.J. Pollock was the big trade deadline acquisition the Giants made last season. After a number of solid seasons with the Dodgers, there was a hope that Pollock could maybe be the Cody Ross of 2023. It did not work out.

He had 6 plate appearances for the Giants before he got hurt and was eventually released by the team.

At the age of 36, he finds himself in a similar situation to most of these other players. If he wants to keep playing perhaps he could find his way onto a minor league team somewhere. He can still provide value as a defender and still has decent speed. But it seems his best days with the bat are well behind him.

Looking back, the trade for Pollock occurred when the Giants were still in playoff contention. It could have been a blow to the team's morale that all they got was a veteran whose best days were behind them and may have led to the second half collapse.

Now turning to back to pitchers, there are a number of memorable former SF Giants pitchers available in free agency. Including one who shimmied his way into our hearts.

Former SF Giants available in free agency: SP Johnny Cueto

Johnny Cueto was one of the biggest free agent signings the Giants have made when they got him back in 2016. He had an outstanding first season with the team but struggled to stay healthy and was inconsistent after that.

Since his time with the Giants, he had a really solid season with the White Sox before a very poor season with the Marlins in which he dealt with injuries.

He could be a potential fit on the Giants if they lose any more starting pitchers to injury. At the age of 38 it is unclear how much they could get out of him, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

He may not have won a World Series with the Giants, but he was one of the more entertaining players to watch in the post-championship years. His unique and fun-loving style were always a treat to watch.

At 38, he is another candidate who mat retire if he does not get a call. He says that he wants to pitch in 2024, though. We will have to see if a team gives him a shot.

The next pitcher is remembered less for his pitching, but at one point was an exciting young arm in the organization.

Former SF Giants available in free agency: RP Sam Coonrod

Most Giants fans will remember Sam Coonrod for his refusal to kneel in solidarity with other players after the murder of Goerge Floyd in 2020.

Prior to that, he was thought of as an exciting young arm in the Giants system who could throw hard. He was solid in 2019 with the Giants, with an ERA of 3.58 in 27 and 2/3 innings. His ERA ballooned to 9.82 in 2020 in just over 14 innings of work. He was traded to the Phillies prior to the 2021 season.

2021 saw him have a bounceback year with an ERA of 4.04, but the ERA shot back up to 7.82 in 2022. He appeared in 6 and 2/3 innings last season with the Mets, but he struggled to the tune of a 9.45 ERA.

It has always been clear that coonrod has the stuff to be a big league pitcher, but he has never been able to locate his stuff. It is possible that another team takes a chance on Coonrod, but he has been given sveral chances now and has not taken advantage of them.

Even though the bullpen for the Giants is unclear, do not expect them to bring back Coonrod. The next free agent is another former reliever on the team.

Former SF Giants available in free agency: RP Jarlín García

Former Giants lefty Jarlín García is a free agent. He had several solid seasons with the team from 2020-2022 but has not pitched in the big leagues since he last appeared with the Giants.

In 2020 García had an ERA of 0.49 in 18 and 1/3 innings. It was the shortened season, but that is still pretty excellent. He followed it up with a solid 2021 when he had an ERA of 2.62 in 68 and 2/3 innings. 2022 saw him drop off a bit with a 3.74 ERA in 65 innings, but that is still respectable.

The Giants let him go in free agency and he signed with the Pirates. Unfortunately, injury prevented him from pitching for the team so the Pirates let him go as well.

The life of an MLB reliever is a tough one, so it is unclear when or where García will get his next opportunity. One would think a team would take a chance on him with a minor league deal given his solid years with the Giants, but perhaps not.

The final free agent we will take a look at is a fitting one given that he is a former closer for the Giants.

Former SF Giants available in free agency: CP Mark Melancon

Mark Melancon had a disappointing tenure with the Giants. He was signed to a four-year $62 million deal prior to the 2017 season to address the bullpen issues from the year before but things just did not work out.

He only ended up recording 14 saves for the Giants before he was traded in 2019 in a deal that got the Giants Tristan Beck, one of the savvier moves of the Zaidi era.

Melancon went on to pitch well with the Atlanta Braves and had an All-Star resurgence in 2021 with the Padres that saw him get 39 saves. It was annoying to see him do well with a division rival, but sometimes things just do not work out with a free agent.

Melancon spent the last two seasons with the Diamondbacks but did not pitch in 2023 due to injury. Perhaps a team will take a chance on him but at 38 he may also opt to retire.

So, there they are. 11 former Giants that are still free agents. Some of these names are eternal Giants legends while others you may not even remember at all. Some will surely find homes while others may retire. That is the way of baseball. In all, each player left their mark, some very big others very small (I'm looking at you Pollock) on the Giants organization.