Ranking the top 4 shortstop free agents for the SF Giants

The offseason is right around the corner and the free-agent speculation is just beginning. Robert Murray of FanSided stoked the flame for SF Giants fans when he suggested that the Giants would land one of the big free agents while naming Trea Turner as a potential fit.

Ranking the top 4 shortstop free agents for the SF Giants

Of course, it bears mentioning that the Giants already have a shortstop in Brandon Crawford under contract. The longtime Giants shortstop is due $16 million in 2023 in the final year of a two-year extension, $32 million extension he signed in 2021.

Murray suggests that Turner, or any of the prospective shortstops, could slide to second base for one season and then switch back to shortstop once Crawford's contract expires. If the Giants do target one of the top free-agent shortstops, who would be the best fit?

1. Xander Bogaerts

There are a lot of good shortstops in baseball, and somehow, that has led to Xander Bogaerts being overshadowed. Perhaps, overshadow is not the correct term as he has been selected to four All-Star teams while receiving down-ballot MVP votes in the last four seasons.

He has been one of the best players over the last decade and it feels like he does not receive the appreciation he deserves. The Boston Red Sox certainly appreciate him as they locked him up to a six-year, $120 million pact in 2019. This deal includes an opt-out clause that the 10-year veteran will likely exercise in an effort to land one more payday in his career.

The right-handed bat is in the midst of another strong season as he has registered a .313/.382/.463 (133 OPS+) with 14 home runs, 68 RBI, and 83 runs while being worth 5.5 bWAR in 605 plate appearances. This includes an 8.9 percent walk rate against an 18.8 percent strikeout rate.

Bogaerts home run output is unusually low in 2022, but he has eclipsed 20 homers in three of the last five seasons. He can hit and hit with power.

The one knock on Bogaerts is his defense. The 29-year-old has been worth -53 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -35 Outs Above Average (OAA) in his career at shortstop. A move off of the position is likely sooner rather than later. That said, he still provides significant overall value with the bat.

I like Bogaerts for a lot of reasons including his offensive upside as well as his age (29) and his durability. He has appeared in over 140 games in seven of the last eight full seasons. In terms of track record and predictability, he is likely the best option.

Ranking the top 4 shortstop free agents for the SF Giants

2. Trea Turner

Trea Turner can do everything on the baseball field. It is a shame that he plays for the division rivals but I will not hold that against him if he signs with San Francisco.

Oddly enough, the San Diego Padres selected turner in the first round of the 2014 draft but immediately shipped him to the Washington Nationals in a three-team deal that brought Wil Myers to San Diego. It was an odd situation as the speedy infielder was not eligible to be traded right away, so he remained in the Padres organization for about six months after the trade while knowingly being the player to be named later.

Since that trade, Turner has firmly established himself as one of the better players in the game. He has been an All-Star in each of the last two seasons and finished seventh in the NL MVP voting last year.

The 2022 campaign has been no different as he has slashed .299/.345/.472 (122 OPS+) with 20 home runs, 97 RBI, and 95 runs while being worth 4.9 bWAR in 669 plate appearances. This includes 25 stolen bases in 28 opportunities to go along with a 6.4 percent walk rate against a 17.8 percent strikeout rate.

Unlike Xander Bogaerts, Turner is excellent with the glove at shortstop as he has been worth 10 DRS and 11 OAA across eight seasons. He has experience in center field and maintains the athleticism and sprint speed to be able to handle the position in a full-time role if needed.

There is a lot to like with Turner. Perhaps, my one concern with him is how his offensive value, which is derived to some degree by speed, will age. Plus, he is not necessarily a true power hitter like some of the other top free-agent shortstops.

I have a feeling that Turner will receive a substantially larger contract than Bogaerts and he certainly deserves a contract of that nature. I like Bogaerts' offensive profile more than Turner's but you cannot go wrong with either option.

Ranking the top 4 shortstop free agents for the SF Giants

3. Carlos Correa

There really is not a good reason to rank Carlos Correa so low as potential fits for the SF Giants. He is a fit for all 30 teams.

The eight-year veteran signed an interesting contract with the Minnesota Twins this past offseason. It was a one-year, $35.1 million pact but included a $35.1 million player option for both 2023 and 2024. He will likely decline that option to earn a much larger payday in his second foray into free agency.

Correa debuted with the Houston Astros in 2015 and he has proven to be one of the better players since then. In his first season with Minnesota, the right-handed bat has been a force at the plate as he has recorded a .289/.365/.468 line (139 OPS+) with 21 home runs, 61 RBI, and 67 runs while being worth 5.0 bWAR in 556 plate appearances. This includes a 10.4 percent walk rate against a 20.5 percent strikeout rate.

The 28-year-old will likely continue to excel at the plate well into his next contract, so he is a safe bet for any team. In terms of defense, Correa is the best option by far. He received a Gold Glove award last year in a year in which he was worth 20 DRS and 12 OAA. Throughout his career, Correa has been worth 70 DRS and 25 OAA. Given his age (28), it does not seem like his glove will decline anytime soon.

The biggest issue I see with him is durability. He has appeared in over 140 games in just one of the last five full seasons. He is similar to Giancarlo Stanton in that regard because he can provide MVP-caliber value when healthy, but you never know what you can expect in terms of workload.

With that being said, the Giants have proven to have an appetite for injury risk, so his track record may not scare them off.