Did the SF Giants miss out on the perfect stopgap option at first base?

With Paul Goldschmidt off of the board, there was still one solid stopgap option available for the SF Giants at first base in Carlos Santana. However, the veteran bat rejoined the Cleveland Guardians on a one-year deal. Did the Giants miss out on a good opportunity here?

Did the SF Giants miss out on the perfect stopgap option at first base?

The first-base market has been active in recent days. Goldschmidt, Santana, and Christian Walker have all been signed. Plus, Josh Naylor was shipped to the Arizona Diamondbacks. There are not many options remaining.

Perhaps, Pete Alonso would provide the biggest boost to the lineup. With Bryce Eldridge expected to debut with the club in 2025, the Giants realistically only need a stopgap option. Sure, the Giants could shift Alonso to DH at that point, but that is not really a smart use of payroll.

While the Giants already have a couple of options at first base in LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores, they appear to be surveying the market for external help. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Giants were among the interested suitors in Goldschmidt before he signed a one-year, $12.5 million deal with the Yankees.

Santana shares a similar profile to Goldschmidt in that he is an aging veteran with a consistent track record of production. In fact, Santana had an even better year than Goldschmidt in 2024. The switch-hitter slashed .238/.328/.420 with 23 home runs, 71 RBI, and 63 runs in 594 plate appearances while being worth 3.0 fWAR. This includes a 10.9 percent walk rate, 16.7 strikeout rate, and .182 ISO. He brings a nice blend of contact, power, and on-base ability to the table.

In addition to this, Santana has a reputation for strong defense at first base. He posted +8 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and +14 Outs Above Average (OAA) while earning his first Gold Glove Award at first base. If the Giants are going to commit to strong defense, then it would be hard to find a better defender at first base than Santana. Admittedly, strong defense at first base is a low priority but it adds to what Santana brings to the table.

The 15-year veteran has proven to be extremely durable throughout his career. That is one quality that the Giants cannot count on with LaMonte Wade Jr. or Wilmer Flores. Santana has appeared in at least 140 games in every full season since 2011 except for 2022. Even in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he played in all 60 games.

Santana will be entering his age-39 season in 2025, so it likely would not take a multi-year commitment. The Giants could sweeten the deal by adding a team option for a second year. However, teams will not be committing much more than that for a player of Santana's age.

The veteran hitter has been well-traveled in recent seasons. He could have been a reliable stopgap and mentor when Bryce Eldridge gets called up. This is all a moot point now with Santana returning to the Guardians for his third stint.