San Francisco Giants' Biggest Winter Meeting Need is Frontline Starter

A San Francisco Giants insider writes that a frontline starter is the biggest need for the San Francisco Giants at the Winter Meetings.

Sep 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws a second inning pitch against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are heading into the Winter Meetings with some new-found momentum. 

After another mediocre season in 2024, the Giants made a big decision to bring in Buster Posey as their new president of baseball operations. Bringing in their former star catcher into this new role was to help create some legitimacy when it came to recruiting free agents. 

So far, that move looks like it has worked out. San Francisco has reportedly reached an agreement with shortstop Willy Adames on a massive seven-year deal that is the biggest in team history, eclipsing the deal Posey signed as a player.

This is a big deal for the Giants, as Adames was one of the top free-agent hitters available this offseason and fills a positional need for them as well. Plus, because he can play shorstop the Giants can move Tyler Fitzgerald to second base, which was also an offseason objective.

Coming into the offseason, improving their lineup was a top priority. The addition of Adames certainly is an excellent start in that department. 

While bringing the slugger is big, San Francisco has other needs as well. Recently, Manny Randhawa of MLB.com wrote about the biggest need for the Giants at the Winter Meetings being to add a front-line starter. 

“Now, president of baseball operations Buster Posey and company will turn their attention to replacing two-time Cy Young Award winner (Blake) Snell in the rotation after he signed with the Dodgers.”

Two pitchers to watch on that front, Randhawa writes, are Corbin Burnes and Max Fried, both among the Top 10 free agents on the market. Both turned down qualifying offers, which means the Giants would give up draft picks if they signed them.

With priority No.1 accomplished, the time is now for Posey to address the starting rotation. While bringing in Adames was a big move, they also did see Snell leave in free agency for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Seeing the former Cy Young leave for their rival was certainly a tough pill to swallow, but the Dodgers came in with a massive offer to lure him in. 

Now, with the addition of a new star in the lineup, Posey must try to find a way to replace Snell in the rotation. There are a lot of good pitchers still available in free agency. But Burnes and Fried are the top tier.

With a weak farm system, a trade for a frontline start seems unlikely, but there are great options to spend on in free agency. There was a notion that the Giants might look to cut payroll, but the big splash over the weekend might indicate otherwise.