What's Next For San Francisco Giants After Quiet Weekend Across MLB?
The San Francisco Giants made a massive move when they wrapped up the signing of Willy Adames early on in the Winter Meetings.
But since San Francisco's new franchise shortstop put pen to paper to join the Giants, it has been all quiet outside of rampant rumors in the Bay Area.
Across the league, it was an incredibly silent weekend after a huge trade on Friday between the Cubs and the Astros for superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker.
It's almost as if everyone got back to their collective drawing boards over the weekend to figure out their next move with still some huge names available. The Winter Meetings may be over, but Hot Stove season rages on.
So where does that leave the San Francisco Giants?
The biggest need the team had headed into the offseason — and Buster Posey was open about it — was shortstop. With Adames now in the fold, the position is secure and locked up what is now potentially the best left side of the infield in baseball with Adames and Matt Chapman at third.
But after Blake Snell decided to head to the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, starting pitching became arguably just as big of a need for the Giants.
You can certainly do worse than the always reliable Logan Webb at the top of the rotation. Having finished top-ten in Cy Young voting in each of the last two years including second place in 2023, Webb has thrown over 200 innings for two seasons in a row after tossing over 190 in the year prior.
With a total of 613 innings while sporting a 3.22 over the last three years, Webb has proven that he can be counted on. But bringing in an ace to put Webb in the No. 2 spot, or even what could be considered the 1b spot, has the potential to take San Francisco into the category of true contender coming off seven missed postseasons in the last eight years.
Of course, much of that conversation naturally revolves around Corbin Burnes — and for good reason. The 2021 National League Cy Young winner is not just the last premier arm available on the open market, he was the consensus top name to hit free agency at all headed into the offseason.
By all accounts, the Giants have a great shot to land him if they're willing to pony up the cash. But even if someone comes in with a mega offer to Burnes that San Francisco is unwilling to match, there are some solid names still available that could form a nice duo with Webb at the top of the rotation.
The most intriguing option outside of Burnes who would be a nice backup plan is Jack Flaherty. On top of countering the Dodgers stealing Snell away with taking someone from Los Angeles, Flaherty is coming off one of the best seasons of his career and is still just 29 years old.
There is the risk there that exists depending on what the number is for Flaherty that he's incapable of living up to the contract, but with the way his market has developed slowly, perhaps there is a discount to be had there from the number he was expected to command headed into the winter.
From there, the possibilities get significantly less enticing but still quality in the third tier of free agent starters such as Sean Manaea and Nick Pivetta, who would be quality additions but likely not meaningfully upgrade the top of the rotation.
Last year, the Giants did not sign Snell until as late as the middle of March. While that was uncharacteristically late, once that initial wave of chaos passes in free agency, it often can take some time for more dominoes to fall.
Keep an eye on the rumor mill for San Francisco as it looks like it could be a long week while the team plots their next move.