The SF Giants have to be shaking their heads after the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker. Yet, they can make a move of their own by pursuing one of these three free agent outfielders.
San Francisco has a spot in right field waiting to be filled. The team may just decide to roll with existing players there, but that is an awfully big risk to take on unproven players.
The Giants would really benefit from taking a hard look at the three following options even if the addition of Tucker should not concern Giants fans all that much.
3 outfielders SF Giants should go after in free agency
Cody Bellinger
After Tucker and Bo Bichette signed in short succession, Bellinger is now the top remaining hitter available in free agency. He is reportedly at an impasse in negotiations with the New York Yankees which could allow the Giants to swoop in and make a deal.
He is the obvious target to pursue if the Giants are serious about trrying to contend, but the front office has not given any indication that it is going to splurge on a premier free agent this offseason.
Still, he would make the team a lot better both with the power he brings to the table and the speed and defensive prowess he would bring to the outfield.
Mike Tauchman
One can already hear the jeers and imagine the snarky comments on social media if the Giants signed Mike Tauchman as a response to the Dodgers signing Tucker.
Sure, Tauchman would not be the most exciting addition but he would be an upgrade over what the team currently has in right field.
He slashed .263/.356/.400 with nine home runs and 40 runs batted in while providing his customarily solid defense in the outfield.
Harrison Bader
Of these three outfielders, Bader is sort of the “Goldilocks” option. No, not because he has luscious golden locks of hair, although that does help. He is the “just right” option of the three because he would help the Giants out defensively and he is coming off a career-best year at the plate.
He slashed .277/.347/.449 with 17 home runs and 54 driven in. He probably would not be able to replicate that with the Giants, but as long as he is solid defensively then he does not have to be elite at the plate.
Bader is probably the most likely of these three deals to happen, but the Giants really need to make an addition in right field more for the sake of the team rather than any sort of illusion that a signing they make would bring them that much closer to competing with the Dodgers.
