Where do the SF Giants turn after Jordan Hicks signing?

The SF Giants have likely made the last notable addition to the starting rotation after reportedly adding Jordan Hicks. They intend to use him as a starter. Where do the Giants turn to now?

Where do the SF Giants turn after Jordan Hicks signing?

I should add that they could still add to the rotation. It would really have to be the right fit at this point. Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are some of the top names remaining, but if the Giants cannot reel them in on favorable terms, then another addition seems unlikely. They do not need another back-end starter.

On the other hand, the Giants have done some leg work this offseason, adding Jung Hoo Lee, Tom Murphy, Robbie Ray, and Hicks (reportedly). Adding to the outfield is not necessarily a need at this point, but if they could add someone like Cody Bellinger on a favorable contract, then they should do so.

That said, they already have a lot of options in the outfield, so they are set. Lee, Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Conforto, and Austin Slater will likely start the year as the outfield contingent. Luis Matos could play his way into the mix as well, but he has minor league options.

The infield alignment has a framework. LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores will share duties at first base, Thairo Estrada will start at second base, Marco Luciano will see time at shortstop, and J.D. Davis will be at the hot corner.

The Giants do not need a third baseman, but they have been connected to four-time Gold Glove winner Matt Chapman all offseason. Those rumors will continue until he signs. Chapman would be an improvement over Davis, but the Giants have to weigh whether that improvement in 2024 is worth the five-year deal he will likely earn.

With Logan Webb, Alex Cobb, Keaton Winn, and now Hicks on the staff, the Giants do have a lot of ground ball pitchers, so the Giants do need to prioritize defense and adding Chapman checks that box. It is a move that the pitching staff would appreciate. That is one move that they are weighing.

However, they still need shortstop depth. They entered last year without any shortstop depth behind Brandon Crawford. They receive below-average production from that position in 2023. Not having depth is simply a mistake they cannot make again.

However, free agency is not flush with options. In terms of glove-first options, Elvis Andrus or Adalberto Mondesí make sense. Of course, Andrus does not offer much with the bat and Mondesí has rarely been healthy. If the goal is to have a player who does not stand in Luciano's way, then either one makes sense. The presence of Frazier could cut into Luciano's playing time.

The Giants could look at the trade market. Kyle Farmer of the Minnesota Twins made sense as a low-cost option, but the Twins just extended him through a mutual option for 2025. Maybe a trade for Nick Madrigal of the Chicago Cubs could be on the table, but he does not profile as a shortstop. Though, he does have experience at both second base and third base.

Perhaps, the lowest priority is the bullpen. The Giants should look to tweak it but they seem comfortable with where they are at. They could add one veteran reliever like a Phil Maton on a guaranteed deal, but it makes a lot of sense to just hand out non-guaranteed contracts and see who sticks. So, the Giants will likely pivot to the infield and bullpen following the addition of Hicks.