New San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey has shown he isn’t afraid to make some high-priced offers in free agency.
He filled arguably the team’s biggest hole by signing shortstop Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million deal, the largest contract in franchise history. They were also in the running, and at some points considered the favorites, for Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes before he agreed to a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Posey wasted no time pivoting elsewhere, as the team agreed to a one-year deal with future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander, whom they believe still has something left in the tank to offer.
While those additions will certainly help improve the product on the field, there is still a lot of work to do with the roster before the Giants can legitimately compete with the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the star-studded San Diego Padres and Diamondbacks.
What would help close the existing gap is another splash in free agency by adding another power bat to the mix.
One player who would fit that bill is New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso who has repeatedly been connected to the Giants.
A recent update involving the All-Star slugger and his former team presents San Francisco with a chance to make that major addition become a reality.
According to Andy Martino of SNY, a post-Alonso Plan B has been pivoted to by the Mets which started with the re-signing of outfielder Jesse Winker.
The Mets have pivoted to plan B, post-Alonso. They now consider it the most likely outcome that Alonso will sign elsewhere. They add Winker and will add a reliever, possibly a top one.
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) January 16, 2025
This is huge news for the Giants, as the market for the star first baseman is shrinking by the day.
The short-term deal with opt-outs that he reportedly offered only to the Mets could become a possibility for any team willing to sign him.
That is the sort of deal San Francisco should be comfortable working out since they did it with prominent free agents last offseason.
Starting pitcher Blake Snell and third baseman Matt Chapman both signed deals with opt-outs when their markets weren’t as strong as originally hoped
It worked out in the end for both. Chapman signed a six-year, $151 million extension with the club in September. Snell opted out and landed a five-year, $182 million deal in free agency with the Dodgers.
Despite Alonso’s power numbers dropping off in 2024, he would still be a sizable upgrade for the middle of the Giants’ order.
A short-term deal would work for both sides since it would provide him with a chance to hit the open market should he have a strong 2025.
It also wouldn’t clog things up at first base, where the team is patiently awaiting the arrival of top prospect Bryce Eldridge.
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