Trio of veteran SF Giants players from the 2024 season elect free agency

A trio of SF Giants players from the 2024 season have hit the open market following the conclusion of the World Series. Michael Conforto, Mark Canha, and Curt Casali all elected free agency according to the team's transaction log.

Trio of veteran SF Giants players from the 2024 season elect free agency

The 40-man roster now stands at 36 with Blake Snell opting out according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. Though, this number will change in the coming days given that there are two other players with option decisions looming and four more that need to be activated from the 60-day injured list.

This is just part of the roster landscaping that takes place once the postseason comes to an end. Conforto is the most notable name from this group as he just finished the second year of a two-year, $36 million deal he signed in January of 2023.

The veteran bat was fine during his tenure. He was not good nor was he bad at the plate but there were few memorable moments. Conforto slashed .237/.309/.450 (112 wRC+) with 20 home runs, 66 RBI, and 56 runs in 488 plate appearances this past season.

Like many left-handed hitters, Conforto struggled at Oracle Park. Undoubtedly, his agent, Scott Boras, will be selling prospective teams on him being a better hitter than his overall stat line would indicate as he posted an .852 OPS with 17 home runs on the road in 2024.

Both Mark Canha and Curt Casali will join Conforto in free agency. Canha was acquired at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers. Despite selling off several players at the deadline, the Tigers did manage to squeak into the playoffs.

Canha brings a solid at-bat quality to the table as he sees a lot of pitches and draws a healthy number of walks. That said, his power disappeared in his age-35 season. In 85 plate appearances, he registered a .288/.376/.329 line (108 wRC+) with no home runs, four RBI, and four runs.

The Giants may decide not to bring back any of their free agents, but Canha is local to the Bay Area and has longstanding ties with Bob Melvin. Those reasons could lead to a reunion.

Lastly, Casali rejoined the Giants in May when the club seemingly ran out of catching depth. He brought a solid veteran presence to the clubhouse and pitchers like when he is behind the plate. He no longer offers much with the bat and the defensive metrics paint him as a below-average receiver.

The Giants could be in the market for a veteran catcher on a non-guaranteed deal this winter. Casali fits that description as well as several other options.