7 SF Giants fan favorites that have still not been signed this offseason

As the offseason winds down, the SF Giants seem relatively set with their moves. They continue to be linked to free agent third baseman Matt Chapman, but other than that the team will likely not make many big moves before Spring Training.

This will upset some Giants fans who were hoping for a massive offseason, but that was just not to be. Instead, the team will have to rely on a lot of the same players they had last year if they hope to improve upon their 79-83 record from 2023.

There are still plenty of free agents available though. A good number of them are former SF Giants and there are even a good number of Giants fan favorites who played for a long time in San Francisco and endeared themselves to the fanbase with their efforts.

A reunion with any of these players seems highly unlikely, but it is still worth it to take a look at these former fan favorites and see where they may end up. What better place to start than with one of the greatest World Series pitchers of all time.

7 SF Giants fan favorites that have still not been signed this offseason

1. SP Madison Bumgarner

After a legendary career with the SF Giants that saw Madison Bumgarner play an instrumental part in bringing three World Series championships to San Francisco, he struggled in the second part of his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Last season saw his struggles reach their zenith as he recorded an ERA of 10.26 in 4 starts and was released by the Diamondbacks.

It is unclear what Bumgarner's future in the MLB will look like. Even though his velocity has dropped dramatically in recent years, you would think a team would be willing to take a shot on a guy who has such an impressive pedigree.

That team will almost certainly not be the Giants as they seem poised to give their younger arms a chance to prove themselves this season. Even if Bumgarner never throws another pitch at the MLB level, he will be regarded as one of the finest postseason pitchers ever and will be an SF Giants legend.

2. 1B Brandon Belt

That's right, the Baby Giraffe Brandon Belt is still available in free agency. After spending his entire career with the SF Giants, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays last offseason and had a bit of a bounce back year at the plate serving mostly as a designated hitter.

There are reports that Belt could potentially reunite with his old manager Bruce Bochy with the Texas Rangers. This would make a lot of sense since Belt is also from Texas so it seems like a great fit for both sides.

It would hurt Giants fans a little bit to see Belt and Bochy go and win a World Series for a team that was not the Giants, but seeing them reunite would be fun to see nonetheless.

A reunion between Belt and the Giants seems unlikely. The team already has several players who can play first base, and it is not clear what they want to do with the DH spot in the lineup.

No matter where he ends up, Belt is and always will be a great San Francisco Giant.

3. SS Brandon Crawford

The other Brandon available in free agency is Brandon Crawford. His entire career has been spent with the Giants. He has won four Gold Gloves at shortstop and helped his hometown team win multiple World Series titles in a storybook career.

While Crawford has expressed interest in playing in 2024, there is also reporting that suggests he may retire if there is not a situation that appeals to him.

A reunion with the Giants has been ruled out, though. The Giants are committed to top prospect Marco Luciano and Crawford's injuries and struggles the last two years make it hard to commit to him for another year.

He will go down as the best shortstop in franchise history no matter what and whenever he retires, whether it is this offseason or a few years from now, he will retire as a Giant.

The remaining fan favorites available in free agency did not help the Giants win a championship, but they still left a positive mark in San Francisco.

6. IF Evan Longoria

Acquired in a trade prior to the 2018 season, Evan Longoria never reached the same level he was at with the Rays as a member of the Giants, but he still had some solid years for the team.

He always seemed to hover right around the .240-.250 mark with his batting average and was good for about 15-20 home runs a year. He was also a solid defender for the team at third base.

He signed with the Diamondbacks last season and got a chance at a World Series title even though the D-Backs came up short against Bruce Bochy's Rangers. Last year he slashed .223/.295/.422 with 11 home runs and 28 RBI but only played in 74 games due to injury.

Injuries plagued Longoria during his time with the Giants as well. He will be entering his age 38 season so any team that signs him knows that will be part of the risk equation. But Longoria could still help a team as a veteran bench presence.

7. OF Kevin Pillar

Outfielder Kevin Pillar only played one season with the SF Giants in 2019, but he left his mark and won the Willie Mac Award that season. He provided a jolt to a Giants team that badly needed it and was an Iron Man for the team, playing in 156 games that year.

Since then, Pillar has played for 5 different teams. He has not had the same success that he did in 2019, but he could still be a solid outfield bench option for a team out there.

The Giants are set in the outfield as it is, so a reunion with Pillar would not make much sense for either side.

These are 7 SF Giants fan favorites that are still available in free agency. It will be interesting to see which players find new homes and which ones decide to retire. Nonetheless, they all left their mark while they were in San Francisco.