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

2. Michael Conforto

Michael Conforto's two-year, $36 million pact with San Francisco was not great. It was not bad either. He is probably all too emblematic of the Giants roster in that he is a good hitter but not the high-impact bat that the Giants hoped.

The front office knew they were taking on a risk when they signed him. The veteran outfielder missed all of the 2022 season after undergoing shoulder surgery. It was pretty evident early on that he was rusty after missing a full season.

At the end of the day, the left-handed bat still makes quality contact, flashes above-average bat speed, and hits well away from Oracle Park. Those qualities should help him in free agency even if the Giants are unlikely to be involved in his market.

Overall, Conforto registered a .237/.310/.452 line (112 wRC+) with 20 home runs, 66 RBI, and 56 runs in 484 plate appearances in 2024. This includes an 8.7 percent walk rate, 24.4 percent strikeout rate, and .214 ISO.

The veteran bat's walk rate fell below 10 percent for the first time in his career, so that is partially to explain why his on-base percentage is well below his career .348 mark.

On the road, Conforto posted an .852 OPS while hitting 17 of his 20 home runs. You can bet that his agent, Scott Boras, will be leveraging that data set when marketing Conforto to prospective teams.