Rangers Target Mitch Haniger to Join Giants

Former Mariners outfielder opted to move to the National League and join San Francisco.

Mitch Haniger, who was reported to be a target of the Texas Rangers, has agreed to a contract with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

Haniger agreed to a three-year, $43.5 million deal per the New York Post.

The Giants have been in pursuit of prized free-agent slugger Aaron Judge, and Post’s reported that adding Haniger didn’t preclude San Francisco signing the Yankees star.

MLB.com previously reported that the Rangers were one of two teams among the most serious suitors for Haniger, with the other team being the Boston Red Sox.

The Rangers’ highest priority was starting pitching, and the Rangers have signed Jacob deGrom and Andrew Heaney to help fill out their rotation. But as far back as August, the Rangers indicated that they wanted to sign a middle-of-the-order bat as well. Haniger would have qualified.

The six-year veteran broke in with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016 and spent 2017-22 with the Mariners, who reached the playoff last season.

The Mariners were unlikely to re-sign Haniger, as they traded for Teoscar Hernandez to install in right field alongside American League Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez in center field.

Haniger missed three months of the 2022 season with an ankle injury, and ended up batting .246/.308/.429/.737 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI.

However, he has shown power and average in his career.

Haniger is a .261 lifetime hitter, and his best overall seasons were in his first two seasons with Seattle. In 2017 he hit .282 with 16 home runs and 47 RBI. He followed that with a .285 season in 2018, with 26 home runs and 93 RBI.

While his batting average dropped to .253 in 2021, he set career highs with 39 home runs and 100 RBI.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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