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Gavin Kilen is the first first-round pick of Buster Posey’s tenure as President of Baseball Operations with the San Francisco Giants.

When it comes to Kyle Tucker’s free agency this offseason, you really haven’t heard the San Francisco Giants as a team linked to him a lot. Sure, the Giants have been linked to him in passing, but not as a serious threat to land him as other MLB teams.

They have been linked in passing to Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays, but so have a lot of the big spenders. Yes, landing Bichette would be nice, but San Francisco needs someone in the outfield. Right field is a spot where a free agent splash would be a good fit.

Now, whether the Giants will want to go all-in and pay the price it would take to land Tucker is another question. However, you can deny that he would be a game-changing addition. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report listed dark-horse destinations for some of the top remaining free agents, and he had San Francisco as a dark-horse landing spot for Tucker.

Giants Listed as a Dark-Horse Destination for Kyle Tucker

The longer Tucker’s free agency goes on, the less likely it is that he gets a long-term deal. He might have to go short-term to get a deal he likes. That’s where San Francisco comes in. A short-term deal would fit right into what they would want to do.

“The Blue Jays and Mets remain the clear favorites to sign Kyle Tucker, though rumors surrounding the top player on the market have been few and far between all offseason, perhaps in response to his potential $400 million price tag,” Reuter wrote.

However, the teams that have been linked to Tucker are big spenders. The New York Mets, Blue Jays, and Los Angeles Dodgers are commonly linked to him. The Mets need a big splash after losing Pete Alonso to the Baltimore Orioles. The Blue Jays are spending big after coming up one win short in the World Series. The Dodgers are the Dodgers, and money isn’t an issue.

“The Dodgers become more of a factor if he is open to a shorter deal, but if that’s the case, expect the rival Giants to also be a more significant player in his market as they look to continue adding to an improved offense,” wrote Reuter.

Ah, there you go, the shorter deal. If it ends up being a short deal, then why not San Francisco?

San Francisco Giants Need Kyle Tucker

Reuter is not the first to tie Tucker to the Giants. Mike Petriello of MLB.com listed the Top 8 teams that need Tucker. San Francisco came in at No. 2 on his list, behind the Philadelphia Phillies. Behind the Giants at No. 3 were the Dodgers.

“The baseball fit here is so, so good. It’s just this side of perfect. Last year’s San Francisco outfield was similar to that of the Dodgers, and projects again as a below-average unit. While second base is a huge need as well – and wouldn’t Bichette look great there? – you look at the outfield, and it’s not clear there’s even one above-average player there. That’s not to say that Jung-Hoo Lee couldn’t take another step forward; it’s that he’s been just OK so far. Either way, it’s a lineup that’s clearly lacking a bat,” Petriello wrote.

The fit is good, and it makes sense for two reasons. One, it gives San Francisco a bat they need in the lineup and an outfielder. He can also take advantage of right field at Oracle Park. Two, it keeps him away from the Dodgers. Again, the Giants are a dark-horse to land him, but it certainly makes sense.

Scott Roche Scott Roche covers college football, NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com and has three decades of sports writing, covering everything from college to professional sports. More about Scott Roche