San Francisco Giants Outfielder Could Be Fit For Emerging AL Contender

A veteran outfielder for the San Francisco Giants could be a good fit for an emerging American League team.

Mar 19, 2024; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (5), Kansas City Royals left fielder Adam Frazier (26) and George Brett talk before a game at Scottsdale Stadium. / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

This winter is the dawn of a new era for the San Francisco Giants.

President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi was fired and replaced by legendary catcher Buster Posey. He will have his work cut out for him, as the roster needs some work to return to the World Series-caliber they were when he was on the team.

There will be some difficult decisions for him to make right off the bat. One of them involves his former teammate, outfielder Mike Yastrzemski.

Set for another year of arbitration, his price tag is only going up. That is part of the reason why Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report believes that the veteran is the most likely trade candidate for the Giants this offseason.

“Further, he is projected to earn $9.5 million in 2025. Though far from an outrageous sum, it's not quite a steal for a platoon outfielder who doesn't offer much on defense or on the basepaths.”

In addition to the price tag, it certainly feels as if San Francisco is entering a transition. A new front office means a new philosophy on how to build the team and the Giants aren’t particularly close to being contenders.

A strong case can be built to hold onto Yastrzemski, as a team that has struggled to score runs probably shouldn’t be looking to move reliable hitters. But, if the opportunity to make a trade that will improve the team in the long-run comes along, Posey and the front office will think long and hard about it.

Who could emerge as a suitor for him?

One team to keep an eye on is the Kansas City Royals, in the opinion of Rymer.

Coming off a trip to the ALDS, where they were defeated by the New York Yankees, the AL Central up-and-comers could use a little bit of veteran experience in their lineup. He would fill the role of Hunter Renfroe in 2024, but with better production and on the strong side of the platoon as a left-handed hitter.

The Royals didn’t receive the kind of boost they were hoping for from Tommy Pham in the regular season, but he showed up in the playoffs.

A reliable veteran with a .779 OPS in the last six seasons should draw interest on the trade market. Keeping him is certainly an option for the Giants, but if they want to lean into the youth movement, moving him makes a lot of sense to open playing time up for the younger players.