Will the SF Giants move on from a veteran outfielder this offseason?

As the SF Giants look to improve the roster this offseason, one player could be in the market for a new team: Mike Yastrzemski. The veteran outfielder will enter arbitration for the final time this winter but how likely are the Giants to tender him a contract?

Will the SF Giants move on from a veteran outfielder this offseason?

Yastrzemski earned $7.9 million this season and is in line for a modest raise through arbitration. The Giants can certainly afford that and his 2025 salary would not be prohititive by any means.

The left-handed bat is in the midst of another solid year, slashing .241/.313/.437 (109 wRC+) with 13 home runs, 45 RBI, and 50 runs in 397 plate appearances. This includes an 8.3 percent walk rate, 25.9 percent strikeout rate, and .196 ISO. Aside from a notable decline in his walk rate and the corresponding decrease in his on-base percentage, Yastrzemski continues to put up solid marks offensively.

In the field, the 34-year outfielder is an above-average glove in right field and capable in center field. He has recorded +8 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 0 Outs Above Average (OAA) in right field this season. Despite being a below-average runner, Yastrzemski gets good jumps, runs efficient routes, and has a strong arm.

He is a quality outfielder without a standout tool. And, that is not a knock on him either. It bears mentioning that he is a starting-caliber outfielder on just about every team in baseball.

So, why would the Giants not keep him in 2025? This is more of a reflection about the rest of the roster than it is on Yastrzemski. The club likely has Jung Hoo Lee and Heliot Ramos penciled in as holding down two of the three outfield spots, leaving one spot open. Yastrzemski is a solid, all-round player, but the ceiling is relatively low and that is one of the areas on the roster they could look to improve.

With Matt Chapman locked up to a long-term deal, the Giants' attention will turn to upgrading the rest of the middle of the order. The Giants third baseman is an above-average hitter, but he is only one piece to the puzzle. Perhaps, Teoscar Hernández or Anthony Satander of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles, respectively, could be offseason targets to add to the middle of the order.

This is where Yastrzemski could be on the outside looking in. While his ceiling is relatively low, the Giants need to be sure that they add someone with definitively more upside. There are opportunities to improve this spot on the roster but they can certainly do worse as well. There are a few options available, so there is a possibility that the veteran outfielder is entering his final month with the club.