MLB insider mentions SF Giants as contenders for major free agents

Major League Baseball's free agency period is still weeks away and some big free agents-to-be are locked up in playoff battles, but that hasn't stopped the flood of rumors about potential landing spots for those franchise players - and the SF Giants are considered to be strong possibilities for a few of them.

In a piece Thursday afternoon, FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray talked about the Giants in a quick summarization of teams expected to take a good shot at signing top free agents. Out of the four players mentioned in the article, San Francisco was linked to two.

The pair they weren't rumored to be attached to were New York Mets right-handed pitcher Jacob deGrom and Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa; deGrom is a possibility of going back to the Mets, heading to the Texas Rangers or all the way across the country to the Los Angeles Dodgers, while Correa's suitors were limited to the surprisingly-competitive Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago Cubs.

SF Giants could go after Judge and Turner

After those two it gets interesting for fans of the Orange and Black.

Aaron Judge, fresh off of setting the American League home run record, is possibly the top free agent on the market. Of the three teams who might "pony up" for the 6-foot-7 outfielder, the Giants are the only non-New York team among three Murray mentions. San Francisco is a fit because Judge grew up a Giants fan nearby, they need star power and have money to spend. Still, it's believed he will end up back with the Yankees because player and team are "in good standing" and Judge "means too much to that roster."

Finally, the last player Murray mentions is Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner. After producing batting average, home runs and stolen bases for a number of years with the Washington Nationals and now the Dodgers (career .302 hitter with 124 home runs and 230 steals in seven-plus seasons), Turner is entering free agency at the age of 29. He has gained fame and followers for his smooth slides across home plate.

Turner hasn't been as desired by Giants fans as Judge, probably because he plays for the hated rivals and plays a position occupied by a San Francisco stalwart in Brandon Crawford. But as Murray notes, the Giants will have to start "thinking about life after" Crawford, whose contract is up after 2023, and Turner can play second base. It could be another case of the previous team having an advantage, however - Turner has apparently "loved" his time with LA and the Dodgers were comfortable enough with him that they let Corey Seager leave as a free agent last winter.

Free agents aren't allowed to sign with new teams quite yet, but certainly more will be rumored and known as the playoffs rage on toward the World Series.