8 potential free-agent fits for the Giants

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Hot Stove season is nearly upon us, as free agents will be eligible to sign with any team beginning five days after the World Series ends.

The Giants were one of the most active teams in free agency last winter, finishing second in offseason spending to only the National League champion Dodgers. They’ll have fewer holes to fill this year, but they’re likely to remain aggressive in upgrading their roster now that Buster Posey has taken over as the club’s new president of baseball operations.

Here’s a look at eight players who could be on the Giants’ radar in the coming weeks:

1. OF Juan Soto (age: 25)
2024 regular-season stats: .288/.419/.569, 41 HR, 109 RBIs, 7 SB, 157 G

The Giants have been unable to land a superstar in free agency in recent years, missing on Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. Will they be able to buck that trend now that Posey is leading the organization? Soto will present the first litmus test of sorts. The four-time All-Star will be highly coveted given his age and otherworldly talent, so San Francisco will have to outbid other deep-pocketed suitors such as the Yankees and Mets to lure him away from New York.

2. SS Willy Adames (age: 29)
2024 regular-season stats: .251/.331/.462, 32 HR, 112 RBIs, 21 SB, 161 G

Adames will be the best shortstop available on the open market, which should make him an obvious fit for the Giants, who are in need of some help in the middle infield. Adames offers big right-handed pop and durability, though his defensive metrics weren’t as strong as they’ve been in the past, with his Outs Above Average slipping from +16 in 2023 to +1 this season.

3. SS Ha-Seong Kim (age: 29)
2024 regular-season stats: .233/.330/.370, 11 HR, 47 RBIs, 22 SB, 121 G

A 2023 NL Gold Glove winner, Kim could be drawn to San Francisco due to his relationships with Jung Hoo Lee, his former KBO teammate, and Bob Melvin, his former manager in San Diego. Still, his offseason outlook is a bit more uncertain after he underwent surgery to repair a labrum tear in his right shoulder. The procedure is expected to sideline Kim until mid-April or May, but if he recovers as expected, he could be an elite defender and a valuable offensive contributor for any lineup.

4. RHP Corbin Burnes (age: 30)
2024 regular-season stats: 2.92 ERA, 194 1/3 IP, 181 K, 48 BB, 32 GS

The Giants’ rotation should feature plenty of talent with the expected return of Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks and Hayden Birdsong next season, but they could use another frontline starter if Blake Snell ends up opting out and signing elsewhere. Enter Burnes, the 2021 National League Cy Young winner and a four-time All-Star who will be one of the most prized free-agent arms this winter. The Orioles could make a push to retain their ace, but perhaps Burnes -- a Bakersfield, Calif., native and St. Mary’s alum -- will favor a return to the West Coast.

5. LHP Blake Snell (age: 31)
2024 regular-season stats: 3.12 ERA, 104 IP, 145 K, 44 BB, 20 GS

Snell was the best pitcher in baseball in the second half and posted a 1.23 ERA over his final 14 starts, all but guaranteeing that he’ll test free agency for the second consecutive winter. Snell has expressed a desire to re-sign with the Giants, but the two-time Cy Young winner should have more suitors vying for his services this time around.

6. LHP Max Fried (age: 30)
2024 regular-season stats: 3.25 ERA, 174 1/3 IP, 166 K, 57 BB, 29 GS

Fried will join Burnes and Snell as the top starters available in free agency this offseason. The longtime Braves southpaw became friendly with Webb at the 2024 All-Star Game in Texas, so that could help give the Giants an edge in their possible recruitment efforts.

7. 1B Christian Walker (age: 33)
2024 regular-season stats: .251/.335/.468, 26 HR, 84 RBIs, 2 SB, 130 G

Pete Alonso will headline the impending crop of free-agent first basemen, but San Francisco seems likely to stay out of his market to avoid blocking its No. 1 prospect (No. 35 overall) Bryce Eldridge, who finished the year at Triple-A Sacramento. Still, the Giants could use a power-hitting first baseman who could hold down the position until Eldridge is ready, which could make a veteran like Walker appealing.

8. 1B Paul Goldschmidt (age: 37)
2024 regular-season stats: .245/.302/.414, 22 HR, 65 RBIs, 11 SB, 154 G

Like Walker, Goldschmidt could be an option to split time between first base and designated hitter with Eldridge in 2025. A longtime Giants killer, Goldschmidt has a 1.015 OPS in 84 career games at Oracle Park and also played with Posey on Team USA during the 2017 World Baseball Classic.