5 veteran SF Giants players who are slated to hit free agency at the end of the year

The offseason is officially here. While free agency does not start until after the World Series, the SF Giants do have a handful of players who are slated to hit the open market.

5 veteran SF Giants players who are slated to hit free agency at the end of the year

As has become commonplace, the Giants do have several players with options to consider as well. We will be looking just at players whose contracts expire at the end of the season with one exception: Blake Snell.

There is certainly a scenario where they do not bring back any of their impending free agents. We will address that in a future piece. For the time being, we will look at who will hit free agency to get you started for the offseason.

1. Blake Snell

Technically, Snell is under contract through the end of the 2025 season as he signed a two-year, $62 million pact. However, this includes an opt-out after the first season and while I do not like talking in absolutes with baseball, you can be sure that he will exercise that opt-out clause, thereby becoming a free agent again.

It was certainly a weird offseason for the two-time Cy Young winner last year as he did not see the lucrative contract that he expected to see in free agency. With another strong year under his belt and no qualifying offer this time around, Snell should be in the market for a sizable contract.

At the end of the day, there are only still a handful of teams that could afford the southpaw pitcher. The Giants expect to be among the interested suitors.

Snell got off to a slow start due in part to injuries and signing so late in the offseason. He just did not have the normal ramp up that pitchers get in spring training. Overall, he posted a 3.12 ERA, 2.43 FIP, 1.04 WHIP, 12.5 K/9, and a 3.30 SO/W rate in 20 starts with San Francisco.

Since the start of July, Snell had been one of the best pitchers in baseball. In 14 starts, he posted a 1.23 ERA with 114 strikeouts and 30 walks in 80.1 innings. He had more starts (14) than earned runs allowed (11) during that stretch.

The 31-year-old pitcher will give away some free passes and that might concern some teams as he ages. However, it is a minor tradeoff to make given the substantial upside he offers.

5 veteran SF Giants players who are slated to hit free agency at the end of the year

3. Mark Canha

I like Mark Canha. He is a professional hitter who brings an at-bat quality to the table. That said, the modest power numbers he once displayed earlier in his career seems to no longer be there in his age-35 season.

I still do not really understand why the Giants even traded for Canha. This is not a knock on the veteran hitter but their trade deadline approach just did not make much sense.

Canha did just fine in a Giants uniform. He slashed .288/.376/.329 (107 wRC+) with no home runs, four RBI, and four runs in 85 plate appearances after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers. He still grinds out at-bats and reaches base at a solid rate. That trait will appeal to a few teams in free agency even if the power numbers have seemingly vanished.

Defensively, the 10-year veteran is seeing more time at first base but can still be a spot starter in the corner outfield spots. In addition to DH, there are a few ways for him to continue making it into the lineup.

Given Canha's local ties and connections to both Bob Melvin and Farhan Zaidi, I would not rule out a reunion with the Giants on a major league deal with a low, guaranteed salary. At the end of the day, the Giants need a major roster overhaul and that is one roster spot where they can find a higher ceiling, so it makes plenty of sense if they look elsewhere.

4. Curt Casali

When the Giants ran out of catching depth earlier this season, they reunited with Curt Casali. He does not offer much with the bat and the advanced defensive metrics paint him as a below-average backstop. However, pitchers like throwing to him and that still holds value.

The 11-year veteran could continue his career in 2025. He could even return to the Giants on a minor league deal to serve as catching depth. However, Casali could also decide to hang up his cleats. I bet there is a future for him as a coach at some level.

5. Donovan Walton

The Giants added Donovan Walton back to the roster earlier this month. It did not make much sense and likely took away some playing time from some of the younger infielders. That is not Walton's fault whatsoever. That is a criticism of both the coaching staff and front office. In his limited time with the club, he tallied just two hits, including a home run, in 20 at-bats.