The San Francisco Giants are getting set for what will be a very important offseason for the franchise.
For three straight years, the Giants missed the playoffs, and it resulted in a chance in leadership. Buster Posey is now the President of Baseball Operations, and he will be tasked with the difficult job of trying to fix San Francisco.
The Giants have been unable to lure top free agents to the Bay Area in recent years, and with a lackluster farm system, the organization isn’t in a great place. San Francisco isn’t shy about spending money, but even with that being said, a lot of work has to be done.
Recently, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report spoke about some of the top potential trade chips in baseball. For the Giants, their center fielder Mike Yastrzemski made the list.
“With a $9.5 million projected salary in his final year of arbitration, Yastrzemski could find himself on the trade block, assuming his age will prevent the Giants from signing him to an extension. He posted a 110 OPS+ with 16 doubles, 18 home runs and 57 RBI in 2024 for his sixth straight 2.0-WAR season, and his ability to handle center field should add to his appeal.”
The outfielder had a very solid 2024 campaign, as he totaled a .231 batting average with some power. It was the fourth straight season that the left-hander was able to total at least 15 home runs in a season.
However, at 34 years old, the Giants might be looking to move him this offseason, as he could provide some value to other teams. Yastrzemski played a lot of right field in 2024, but he can also play center field, which was manned by Heliot Ramos mostly last campaign.
If San Francisco is looking to make a big splash in free agency, moving the veteran makes sense for a few reasons, as he is in the final year of arbitration. Saving close to $10 million a year on Yastrzemski could help provide some extra money to improve in other areas.
Furthermore, since the farm system is lacking talent, moving the outfielder could also help them replenish their young prospects.
As a player that has had a WAR over 2.0 for most of his career, he certainly has some trade value, especially for a team looking for a rental who can make an impact. As the winter rolls on, it will be interesting to see if Yastrzemski is on the trade block.
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