The upcoming offseason could be a very busy one for the San Francisco Giants.
Their performance throughout the 2024 campaign was filled with a lot of disappointment and underwhelming play on the field. It certainly was not what anyone inside that clubhouse or front office expected with the momentum that was built in the months leading into it.
They spent lavishly in the offseason, throwing money at their problems on the field. The Giants came away with a haul of talented players, taking advantage of a market that wasn’t as lucrative as some players had hoped.
Scott Boras clients Blake Snell, the reigning Cy Young Award winner and Matt Chapman, agreed to short-term deals woefully short of expectations. Jorge Soler, Jordan Hicks, Tom Murphy and Jung Hoo Lee were also signed and Robbie Ray, coming off Tommy John surgery, was acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners.
That is a lot of additions, but only Chapman has truly panned out.
He signed a six-year, $151 million extension in early September, locking down one spot in the lineup long-term. The other players who were brought on board combined for a WAR under 4.0.
Snell found his form after coming off the injured list for a second time in July and is likely to test the market agian this offseason. But, it was too little too late as the team was never able to consistently build positive momentum and string together wins.
Rookie shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald came out of nowhere, but he alone wasn’t enough to save this season.
As a result, their overall team grade is not a good one. Bradford Doolittle of ESPN gave them a D for 2024, a grade that was tied with the Toronto Blue Jays and better than only five teams.
The Texas Rangers and Colorado Rockies received a D-. An F was given to the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels, while the Chicago White Sox broke the scale of ineptitude with an F—-.
“In mid-September, the Giants were shut out three games in a row — the first time that had happened since 1992. Manager Bob Melvin called 2024 “probably the hardest season” he’s had as a manager, and speculation began that he could be ousted after one season. Snell will likely opt out and head back into free agency. Closer Camilo Doval was sent down to Triple-A for a spell. Kyle Harrison ended the season on the IL with shoulder inflammation. It was not a good year for the Giants,” Doolittle wrote about San Francisco.
There will be some pressure on the front office this winter, should they retain their jobs. Upgrades are needed at several spots and if the correct moves aren’t made, people are going to be fired.
