MLB Insider Hints San Francisco Giants Not Able To Afford Star Free Agent

The San Francisco Giants chances of signing this slugger might be difficult due to their payroll limitations.

Milwaukee Brewers Willy Adames smiles as he answers questions during a press conference before the Tuesday Milwaukee Brewers National League Wild Card playoff series at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. / Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are expected to have a smaller payroll in 2025, a questionable decision. However, when Buster Posey took the job, he should've 100% understood that. Posey, now the president of baseball operations, was likely in the mix in those conversations.

That doesn't diminish the fact that the Giants need to spend money to compete, but from an organizational standpoint, it isn't the craziest idea to want Posey to have a full offseason before the owners with big pockets up the payroll.

However, that might take San Francisco out of the mix for some of the top players on the market. With a clear need to improve this winter, that's disheartening.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Giants reduced payroll might hurt their chances of signing Willy Adames. He added that Ha-Seong Kim might be the better fit due to the payroll issue. He did acknowledge that Adames is the better fit long-term for the Giants, who are hoping to sign a shortstop to add some reinforcements to that side of the infleld.

"Perhaps Ha-Seong Kim would be a more suitable fit, coming at a lower price as he recovers from shoulder surgery and without the additional cost of a draft pick (both Adames and Bregman received qualifying offers)," Rosenthal wrote.

Adames is a better player than Kim, but if they end up with the South Korean native, he wouldn't be a bad consolation prize.

When Adames is at his best, it's intriguing to think about what San Francisco's offense could look like. His numbers would likely be much different at Oracle due to the dimensions, but he'd add a different dynamic to this lineup, something the club is dying for.

Kim is more of an all-around guy. His lack of power and other issues at the plate doesn't make him a five-tool guy, but it's important not to let the numbers get in the way of who he truly is. Kim is a very good player and would be an excellent addition to the Giants. He is also a Gold Glove-caliber fielder.

Still, that doesn't take away from not having money to spend. There are many elite players on the market this winter, and if San Francisco found a way to sign a few of them, things could be much different.

Instead, it sounds like that won't happen until the 2025-26 offseason, at the earliest.