Ranking the SF Giants top 3 offseason needs

There is only one week left in the SF Giants season and they appear to be ending on a high note as they have posted a 14-10 record in the final month of the year. At some point soon, the narrative is going to shift to the offseason, so what are the top 3 offseason needs?

Ranking the SF Giants top 3 offseason needs

With a 75-78 overall record, the Giants have disappointed in a lot of ways, especially considering that the organization had playoff aspirations heading into the season. That said, they still have an outside shot of ending the season with a .500 record if they go 6-3 in the final nine games of the season.

That might be a marketable benchmark. If they finish the year with a .500 record, it does convey to the free-agent class that they are only one or two big moves away from competing. In reality, it might be more than just one or two names.

The Giants will boast more financial flexibility that just about every big-market club, so money really should not be an impediment for signing any of the top free agents.

1. Re-signing Carlos Rodón

Letting Kevin Gausman walk in free agency last offseason was a bitter pill for many Giants fans to swallow. That feeling was compounded when Gausman confirmed that San Francisco did not make a legitimate offer.

Will they make the same mistake this time around? For better or worse, the front office does not make decisions based on what the fans want. There is a reason they are making the decisions.

That said, the fans want the Giants to re-sign Carlos Rodón and the front office should want to do that as well. Technically, he is not a free agent yet. The left-handed hurler will have an opt-out decision to make at the start of the winter and he has not really tipped his hand publicly.

That should be an easy decision for Rodón as he would immediately become the best free-agent pitcher on the market and by a pretty wide margin. The 29-year-old has had an excellent campaign after signing a two-year, $44 million pact with the Giants last offseason.

Rodón has registered a 2.98 ERA, 2.34 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 11.9 K/9, and a 4.37 SO/W ratio in 30 starts while earning a NL All-Star nod. Undoubtedly, he will reel in some Cy Young votes as well.

He has been the best signing of the offseason but the Giants cannot make the same mistake twice. The southpaw will command a contract like Gausman (5 years, $110 million) and Robbie Ray (5 years, $115 million). In fact, those could be starting points as the lefty could push for an average annual value closer to $25 million.

Of course, it bears mentioning Rodón carries injury risk as well. He has made more than 25 appearances just three times in eight seasons. Rodón has had Tommy John surgery and battled shoulder issues in the past.

That could scare off some teams, but the Giants have an appetite for injury risk. There were injury question marks for nearly every starter when this season began and some of that has been realized, but it is clear that it does not scare San Francisco as it might scare other clubs.

Rodón will command one of the bigger contracts this offseason but money should not be an issue. If the front office wants him back, then he should be back.

Ranking the SF Giants top 3 offseason needs

3. Rework the outfield

This might be the most interesting area of the roster to watch this offseason. The Giants have a handful of outfielders under team control for 2023 like Mike Yastrzemski, Austin Slater, LaMonte Wade Jr., and Luis González.

They could go in a number of different directions with this group but I do not believe that bringing back all four should be a consideration. The Giants will also have a decision to make on Joc Pederson, but I think a position change is in order.

This group has to look different next season. The outfield defense has been horrendous as they have been worth -40 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -23 Outs Above Average (OAA). Both marks rank last in baseball and by a pretty comfortable margin in terms of DRS.

The outfield offense has combined to post a 103 wRC+, which is slightly above average. Pederson is the most impactful bat by far among Giants outfielders and he is set to become a free agent this winter.

Yastrzemski has been solid with the glove in center field, but they do need another glove-first outfielder along with a couple of productive bats. In terms of finding a productive bat, adding Aaron Judge would check that box off in a hurry but that move feels unlikely.

Brandon Nimmo has quietly been one of the better outfielders over the past couple of years and he brings the type of at-bat quality that the front office targets. Andrew Benintendi will be in demand as he is coming off of an All-Star season.

Joey Gallo and Mitch Haniger have both struggled in 2022 as they have battled ineffectiveness in the case of Gallo and injury in the case of Haniger. That said, they each have a track record of success prior to this year.

Speaking of injury, Michael Conforto might be looking to re-establish value on a one-year deal after missing the entire 2022 season with a shoulder injury. The point is, the Giants will need to bring in a few new faces to an outfield group that has struggled badly in 2022.