San Francisco Giants' Dream Target Has One 'Goal' in MLB Free Agency

This San Francisco Giants target has one goal in mind as he enters MLB free agency for the first time this offseason.

Oct 29, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) reacts after a strike out against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth inning during game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

While the San Francisco Giants are viewed as a potential destination for superstar slugger Juan Soto, Jayson Stark of The Athletic reported earlier in the week that the Giants and the free agent don't have a meeting set up.

That doesn't mean Soto and the Giants won't meet in the coming weeks. As of the middle of November, Soto and his representatives have meetings in place with multiple teams.

San Francisco should be able to get to him eventually. Soto made it known after the World Series that he wants to speak with as many clubs as possible to see what each has to offer. If the Giants are willing to meet his asking price, there's no reason why they wouldn't have a discussion.

That price might be out of the Giants' ballpark. According to David Schoenfield of ESPN, Soto wants a deal that would surpass Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani's, which could mean he wants more than $46 million AAV, given Ohtani's deferrals.

As Schoenfield writes, the deferrals make Soto's desire to "break the bank" a bit complicated.

"Some years, it's not clear who might get the highest contract — say, Bryce Harper or Manny Machado in the 2018-19 offseason or Carlos Correa or Corey Seager in 2021-22. As with Ohtani last season, however, Soto won't have any competition for that honor and the goal for him and agent Scott Boras will be to top Ohtani's record-breaking deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which MLB valued at $460.8 million in present-day dollars."

There's also a scenario where Soto already understands San Francisco won't be in his ballpark for a potential contract. It's uncertain how much the star is actually seeking, but the expectation around Major League Baseball is for him to get about $600 million.

With a few holes on the Giants' current roster, it might be a better idea to spend that money on multiple players instead of one. But, the fan base has been looking for a superstar talent like Soto over much of the past decade, so it'd be disappointing if San Francisco didn't at least give him a call.

It'd be a fair price to pay for the left-handed hitting outfielder. He doesn't have the same value as Ohtani. But if things go as planned, San Francisco would make a lot more than his deal costs over the decade-plus-long contract.

With free agency in full swing, the Giants need to get to him early and give him their best sales pitch.