Four former SF Giants Fan Favorites available in free agency

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There are several former SF Giants who endeared themselves to fans during their time with the team that are still on the free agent market. Are any of them a fit with the team?

These players were key parts of the various San Francisco Giants championship runs and chances are that Giants fans remember exactly where they were when they performed acts of heroism that led to the Giants winning a ring.

While it is highly unlikely that any of these players will re-sign with the Giants prior to the 2022 season, there is still a possibility that a team could sign them to a minor league deal and invite them to compete for a roster spot in Spring Training.

Without further ado, let's dive right into the four former Giants fan favorites who find themselves without a team to call home.

New York Mets v Miami Marlins / Bryan Cereijo/GettyImages

1. Joe Panik

Since Joe Panik was released by the Giants in 2019, he has bounced around a little bit. He finished 2019 with the New York Mets before signing with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020 and then got traded to the Marlins last season before being designated for assignment in October.

Panik has struggled to regain the form he had early in his career with the Giants. His average has dwindled in the low .200s and last season with both the Blue Jays and Marlins he recorded a dismal OBP of .266. Some have been much less charitable in their analysis of his play last year, writing that he was, "one of the worst position players in the majors in 2021."

The Giants will not sign him because they already have plenty of options at second base. Plus, his poor performance recently does not make him jump off the page when teams are looking for depth options for their roster.

Joe has also dealt with injuries much as he did during his time with the Giants. That coupled with his poor play may make it difficult for him to find a home before the 2022 season. However, if he still wants to play there is probably some team out there that will sign him to a minor league deal to see if there is any possibility that he can rekindle some semblance of his younger self.

No matter what, Joe Panik has endeared himself in the hearts of Giants fans forever for his clutch postseason play in 2014 and one of the greatest double plays ever turned in World Series history. Let's hope that Panik can find a good home in 2022 and see if he can regain some of his old form.

Atlanta Braves v New York Mets / Adam Hunger/GettyImages

2. Pablo Sandoval

The man needs no introduction, but we all know that Pablo Sandoval was a great Giant. While he sat on the bench for much of the 2010 playoffs, he was able to turn things around and regain his starting role at third base which resulted in a legendary three home run performance in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series against Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers.

We know about his brief and, to put it diplomatically, unsuccessful tenure in Boston, but he came back to the Giants in 2017 and became a great pinch hit weapon for the team until he was designated for assignment during the shortened 2020 season.

Last season with the Atlanta Braves he found some magic early on with some big home runs for the team but was unable to sustain that success over the course of the whole season and was eventually traded to Cleveland for Eddie Rosario before being released.

Sandoval, despite being 35, has expressed interest in coming back to play again in 2022. His age and struggles with Atlanta last year may make it difficult for him to get signed, but a team is bound to take a chance on him with a minor league contract and invite to Spring Training based on his abilities as a pinch-hitter and his championship pedigree.

There is not enough room on the Giants roster for the Panda to return to the team. They have enough infield depth as it is and they are not in need of help in the pinch-hitting department after they set an MLB record with 18 pinch hit home runs last season.

Despite this fact, Pablo is the true epitome of a Forever Giant and will forever be beloved by Giants fans for his buoyant personality and the key role he played for the team during the championship years. It will be interesting to see if he can make his way onto a big league roster next season and deliver some more magic at the end of such a great career.

San Diego Padres v San Francisco Giants / Jason O. Watson/GettyImages

3. Matt Duffy

After Pablo Sandoval left the SF Giants in after the 2014 season, it was unclear who would fill the Panda-sized hole left at third base. For a year and a half, it was the unlikely form of a lanky kid who took over duties at third base named Matt Duffy.

Duffy had an incredible 2015 rookie campaign when it seemed like he would be a solid bench piece at the start of the year. He won the starting job at third from Casey McGehee and never looked back that season, hitting .295/.334/.428 with 12 home runs and 77 RBI. It looked like the Giants had found their third baseman of the future.

However, in 2016 Duffy struggled and was injured for a good chunk of the first half. The Giants traded him to Tampa Bay in the Matt Moore trade and he has been inconsistent ever since. Injuries plagued him in 2017 but he had a great 2018 with the Rays, hitting .294/.361/.366 in what was a resurgent year.

The injury bug bit him again in 2019 though, and he only appeared in 46 games for the Rays which led to his release. After short-lived minor league stints with the Rangers and Yankees organizations, he was signed by the Chicago Cubs prior to the 2021 season. Again, injuries plagued Duffy as he missed time with a back strain, but when he was on the field he was solid. Last season he hit .287/.357/.381 with 5 homers and 30 RBI.

Like with Panik and Sandoval, the Giants do not have room for Duffy on their roster. They are set when it comes to infield depth so signing Duffy would not make much sense. But after his solid season last year with the Cubs, there is no reason to believe that a team would not take a chance on him with a minor league deal. Despite the injury history, when Duffy has been on the field he has proven that he is a solid hitter and would be able to play multiple infield positions for a team.

Oakland Athletics v Los Angeles Angels / Ronald Martinez/GettyImages

4. Sergio Romo

The Giants were fortunate to have right-handed reliever Sergio Romo for their championship runs. He was a key part of the "Core Four" in the bullpen and delivered huge outs for the team in the postseason, none bigger than this one.

His lively personality coupled with his wicked slider made him an absolute delight to watch during his time with the Giants. While he has never quite been as consistently good as he was during his time with the Giants, he has still been a solid relief pitcher for a number of teams since he left San Francisco back in 2017.

Last season as a member of the Oakland A's he had an ERA of 4.67 with 60 strikeouts in 61 and 2/3 innings pitched. Those numbers are far from outstanding, but they are respectable for a reliever nearing the end of his career.

Romo could possibly fit in the Giants bullpen on a one year deal, but given that their bullpen was a strength last year and they had younger right-handed relievers like Tyler Rogers, Camilo Doval, and Dominic Leone to rely on, a reunion seems unlikely.

Despite this, Romo definitely deserves another chance as a reliever if he wants it. His slider still makes him a difficult guy to face and his lack of IL time over the years makes him a guy worth taking a shot on.

In sum, we have covered four former SF Giants fan favorites that are free agents. While they may not be on their way back to San Francisco, they still deserve a shot to prove themselves in the big leagues. And no matter what, they are Forever Giants.

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