San Francisco Giants Face Shocking Price for Potential Free Agent Acquisition

A San Francisco Giants rumored free agent target is going to cost a pretty penny to sign.

May 25, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) throws his bat after flying out to end the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants made one huge splash this offseason, agreeing to a seven-year, $182 million deal with free agent shortstop Willy Adames, formerly of the Milwaukee Brewers.

It was a sign of things hopefully changing when it comes to the team’s fortunes in landing stars on the open market, which was a struggled under previous president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi.

His replacement, former Giants star catcher Buster Posey, wanted to break that trend quickly. After helping the franchise win three World Series titles as a player, he wants to bring them back to prominence as a member of the front office.

Of course, that will be easier said than done, especially with the teams San Francisco is competing with in their own division, let alone the National League.

The reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres have put a sizable gap between themselves and the Giants. The Arizona Diamondbacks, who added Corbin Burnes and Josh Naylor this offseason, are likely viewed as ahead of them as well.

Burnes was a player the Giants were targeting in free agency to help offset the loss of Blake Snell, who signed with the Dodgers, agreeing to a five-year, $182 million deal.

That showed Posey was serious about spending money and adding talent to the roster to have a better chance of competing in 2025 and beyond.

Adames is a very good first addition, solidifying the middle infield with 2024 breakout rookie star Tyler Fitzgerald likely shifting over to second base. With Matt Chapman entrenched at third base, the infield is looking set for years to come.

Eventually, first base will hopefully be held by rising prospect Bryce Eldgridge, who started 2024 in Single-A and ended in Triple-A.

More than likely, he will not break camp with the big league club, but his debut isn’t too far away. That means San Francisco needs to find someone who can handle first base until he is ready for promotion.

That could lead to the team looking to make another big splash and sign someone such as Pete Alonso away from the New York Mets.

The slugging first baseman has been linked to the Giants as a player who is on their radar this offseason. They have been urged to make one more major addition, whether it is him or someone to help on the pitching mound, such as Jack Flaherty.

But if San Francisco is going to poach Alonso away from the Mets, it is going to cost an eyewatering amount of money.

As shared by MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today, teams are hesitant to spend big money on him, but his agent, Scott Boras, is using one of baseball’s biggest free-agent contract signings ever as comp for his current client.

“Teams are reluctant to eclipse Freddie Freeman’s six-year, $162 million contract and Matt Olson’s eight-year, $168 million deal while Alonso’s agent, Scott Boras, uses Prince Fielder’s nine-year, $214 million contract with Detroit Tigers in 2012 as a comparison.”

It is an agent’s job to get his client as much money as possible and you can respect Boras at least setting the bar high. But, Alonso isn’t close to being in the same class as Prince Fielder was when he hit free agency.

Alonso turned 30 in December; Fielder played out his age-27 season in his first with the Detroit Tigers. There were no concerns about the latter’s power numbers dropping off at the time, which the New York superstar has some of after a disappointing 2024 campaign.

At that price, it would be smart for the Giants to hold off and spend money elsewhere. There are too many concerns and risks with a player of Alonso’s profile to make that level of commitment to.