San Francisco Giants

And then there was one.

Shortstop was a central focus of Major League Baseball's offseason with Carlos Correa, Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson all hitting free agency, but only the latter remains unsigned after Correa agreed to a massive 13-year, $350 million deal with the San Francisco Giants, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Swanson will have no shortage of suitors and potential top landing spots, as ESPN's Buster Olney pointed out the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves are all looking to fill the shortstop position.

Swanson is in an ideal bargaining position given the need for shortstops across the league and some of the contracts that have been handed out.

Turner agreed to an 11-year, $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, while Bogaerts joined the San Diego Padres on an 11-year, $280 million contract. Swanson may not land those types of contracts given he doesn't quite have the same track record as his colleagues, but he is surely in line for a massive deal at this point.

He is coming off the first All-Star campaign of his career that saw him slash .277/.329/.447 with 25 home runs, 96 RBI and 18 stolen bases.

Throw in his first career Gold Glove, and it is clear how Swanson can impact the game in a number of ways. He was responsible for nine defensive runs saved above average in 2022, per FanGraphs.

Minnesota, Boston and Atlanta all make sense as possible landing spots for the Vanderbilt product given what has unfolded this offseason. The Twins lost Correa, the Red Sox lost Bogaerts and the Braves are somewhat in limbo with Swanson as the incumbent player at the position.

Then there is Chicago, which has been connected to seemingly every shortstop in the market at some point as it looks to bounce back from two straight losing seasons and perhaps move Nico Hoerner to second base to form a dominant defense up the middle.

It would be difficult to classify the Cubs' offseason as anything but a failure if they are unable to land any of the four top shortstops after some early secondary moves that saw them add Cody Bellinger and Jameson Taillon.

Swanson has all the leverage in this situation with a big-market team that could be desperate to close the gap on the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central, so don't be surprised if he ends up in Chicago blue before the end of the offseason.

Even though the San Francisco Giants have been linked to several high-profile free agents this offseason, they continue to make smaller additions for 2023.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Giants have agreed to a two-year, $25 million deal with right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling that includes an opt-out after next season.

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday, after the Giants agreed to a deal with Sean Manaea, they were still pursuing Carlos Rodón. Per Slusser, the team remains in pursuit of Rodón after signing Stripling.

It's unclear if the addition of Stripling impacts San Francisco's interest in Rodón.

The contracts for Stripling and Manaea are identical. Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network reported Manaea's deal is for two years and $25 million with an opt-out after 2023.

Neither player is receiving a salary that would seem to preclude the Giants from making a big splash in free agency. They were heavily linked to Aaron Judge and extended an offer to him of around $360 million, according to Heyman.

Judge ultimately agreed to return to the New York Yankees on a nine-year deal worth $360 million.

Per MLB Network's Steve Phillips, the Giants and Minnesota Twins are considered the favorites to sign Carlos Correa.

Adding Manaea and Stripling to their rotation on team-friendly deals could suggest the Giants prefer to add a high-level position player in free agency. Correa would fill that void with a .279/.357/.479 career slash line as a shortstop.

Stripling is coming off arguably the best season of his career. The 33-year-old posted a 3.01 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 32 appearances (24 starts) for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Giants know Stripling very well from his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Dodgers before being traded to Toronto midway through the 2020 season.

Stripling was named to the NL All-Star team in 2018 and finished the year with a 3.02 ERA in 33 appearances.

The market for the best MLB free agent on the board might be narrowing.

MLB Network Radio's Steve Phillips reported Monday the San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins are seen as the favorites in the sweepstakes for star shortstop Carlos Correa.

While a few of the top free agents have signed new deals, adopting a more patient approach has worked in Correa's favor.

The pacts for Trea Turner (11 years, $300 million) and Xander Bogaerts (11 years, $280 million) have helped shape his market value. You wouldn't expect Correa to get less money than Turner or Bogaerts considering he's better than both.

Percentiles for the four shortstops, among their peers at their position, aka why Correa will get the big bucks.

(arm strength / sprint speed / swSTR% / Barrel rate / O-Swing% courtesy of Baseball Savant and FanGraphs) pic.twitter.com/CsvbmCDQmR

— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) December 12, 2022

The Giants and Twins aren't in a strong position to negotiate either.

San Francisco has shown a willingness to spend, but that doesn't matter much if star players don't sign. Having already missed out on Aaron Judge, not landing Correa will make this a bitterly disappointing offseason.

"4 years ago they were in the same position with Bryce Harper and didn't get him either. They HAVE to make a big splash now. They have to go get Carlos Correa."@susanslusser on what's next for the Giants and if they ever had a real chance to sign Judge. #HighHeat pic.twitter.com/XLbvI05UUZ

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 7, 2022

Minnesota, meanwhile, has to pay the same tax often required of smaller-market franchises when a talent as good as Correa is in the picture. Last year, that meant agreeing to a contract that allowed him to walk after only one season.

If Correa prefers a return to the Twins, then he might have to act fast. The Star Tribune's LaVelle E. Neal III reported the team might look toward other targets such as shortstop Dansby Swanson if there isn't a resolution within the next few days.

In general, it feels as though a final decision could come soon because there isn't much more benefit in waiting for Correa. The shortstop market has largely taken shape already, and you would've expected a mystery team to emerge by now.

The San Francisco Giants have yet to shut the door on a reunion with starting pitcher Carlos Rodón, according to the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser.

The Giants sealed an agreement with Sean Manaea on a two-year, $25 million deal Sunday, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. However, Slusser reported that deal doesn't preclude the team from continuing to pursue Rodón.

NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reported on Nov. 30 the Giants "do not expect Rodón to return" because the cost to sign him figures to be so high.

Heyman reported Rodón was looking to get at least $30 million annually over six years, while Slusser reported he's "seeking a minimum of seven years on a $100 million-plus deal."

Given how this offseason has unfolded, the fanbase might feel even more pessimistic about the two-time All-Star coming back to the Bay Area.

While San Francisco was a finalist for American League Most Valuable Player Aaron Judge, it looks like the franchise was little more than a stalking horse.

https://twitter.com/martinonyc/status/1600541396397703188

The Giants also showed some interest in Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga, only to watch him reportedly agree to a five-year, $75 million pact with the New York Mets. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported they made a formal offer to Brandon Nimmo as well before he re-signed with the Mets.

It's impossible to ignore the narrative that's taking shape.

Judge and Nimmo not taking the Giants’ offers is understandable. They went back to the only organizations they’d ever know. It’s where they felt comfortable.

Correa will go to the Giants if they have the strongest offer. This one you can judge, pun somewhat intended https://t.co/OslVHDstWv

— Grant Brisbee (@GrantBrisbee) December 10, 2022

I *know* I'm going to eat it when they sign Carlos Correa next week, but the Giants sure are the "bridesmaids, not the bride" of the offseason so far. https://t.co/GANthkNfB9

— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) December 11, 2022

Although Manaea feels like a replacement for Rodón, the need to sign another starter is still there with Anthony DeSclafani tentatively penciled in for the starting rotation. DeSclafani was limited to five starts in 2022, allowing 14 earned runs over 19 innings, before undergoing season-ending ankle surgery in June.

Getting a contract done with Rodón would also go a long way toward countering the current perception of San Francisco. That might require him to significantly lower his demands, though.

The longer the offseason goes, the less leverage the southpaw will have. For now, he and his agent, Scott Boras, probably aren't panicking about the lack of a new deal.

The New York Yankees are preparing an offer to free agent starting pitcher Carlos Rodón, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The 30-year-old left-hander is the Yankees' "top remaining target," per Heyman, who said that the team seems "hopeful, or perhaps even optimistic" about their chances.

The San Francisco Giants, who Rodón played for last season, remain involved, and Heyman characterized it as a battle between them and the Yankees for the left-hander's services with "a few other teams in the mix" as well.

Rodón went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA last year. He earned an All-Star Game appearance for the second straight year and finished sixth in the National League Cy Young voting. The southpaw also struck out 237 batters in 178.0 innings.

The former North Carolina State star played for the Chicago White Sox from 2015-21 before signing with the Giants last offseason on a two-year, $44 million contract that included an opt-out after the first year.

Rodón elected to become a free agent and cash in on his great 2022 season, and now he stands to earn a nine-figure contract. A seven-person ESPN panel predicted that Rodón would sign for five years and anywhere between $130 million and $150 million. Rodón is looking for a seven-year deal, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Rodón would fit second in the Yankees' starting rotation between All-Stars Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes. Luis Severino would then slot in as the fourth starter. Frankie Montas and Domingo Germán would be the top candidates to round the rotation out.

The Yankees already earned a huge offseason win by retaining American League MVP Aaron Judge on a nine-year, $360 million contract. Adding Rodón would be a massive victory for a team looking to break through to the World Series for the first time since 2009.

Carlos Correa's market is starting to take shape.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins are among the teams interested in the 28-year-old shortstop.

ESPN's Buster Olney said on 95.7 The Game's Willard & Dibs on Friday that the New York Yankees could be in play for the best remaining free agent because "they're working on something big" after getting a commitment from Aaron Judge.

Once Judge decided to re-sign with the Yankees, the Giants became the most logical fit for Correa. They had an offer on the table for the reigning American League MVP of around $360 million in total value, per Heyman.

If the Giants offered that much for Judge, why not make the same proposal to Correa?

While Correa isn't the same level of superstar as Judge, at least by name recognition, there's a strong argument he would be a better free-agent investment. He's two-and-a-half years younger than Judge, plays a more important defensive position and has played it at a high level for most of his career.

The Giants have fallen behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the National League West hierarchy. The Padres show no signs of slowing their spending, having signed Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year, $280 million deal.

Correa alone wouldn't make the Giants a playoff contender, but he would help them close the gap on the top two teams in their division.

The Cubs have put themselves in an interesting spot, even after losing Willson Contreras to the St. Louis Cardinals. They've spent money the past two offseasons to bring in Marcus Stroman, Seiya Suzuki, Cody Bellinger and Jameson Taillon, but they lack high-ceiling players who can get them back into playoff contention in 2023.

Chicago has reportedly been heavily involved in the shortstop market this offseason. Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reported team brass met with Bogaerts earlier this month as well as Correa.

The Athletic's Patrick Mooney reported Thursday the Cubs have a "particular focus" on Dansby Swanson.

The Twins are familiar with Correa after he played for them last season. He was a standout in their lineup with a .291/.366/.467 slash line and 22 homers in 136 games.

The AL Central is wide-open every year because none of the teams spend exorbitant amounts of money to sign players. The Cleveland Guardians won the division last season with 92 wins and appear to have a bright future, but their biggest addition has been Josh Bell.

The Chicago White Sox finished .500 and have lost José Abreu in free agency. Their only meaningful addition has been Mike Clevinger.

The Twins have a path to win the AL Central in 2023. If they can bring back Correa, that path becomes easier.

Having already secured a commitment from Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees may not be done making big moves this offseason.

Appearing on 95.7 The Game's Willard and Dibs, ESPN's Buster Olney said he's "definitely picking up a lot of vibes" the Yankees are "working on something big" when asked about the market for Carlos Correa.

On the other side, despite missing out on Judge, Olney noted the San Francisco Giants "haven't gotten too deeply" into talks with Correa about money.

Judge agreed to a nine-year, $360 million deal to remain with the Yankees on Wednesday, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

Even though the Yankees made other moves earlier in the offseason, most notably re-signing Anthony Rizzo, retaining Judge was always going to be their top priority.

There are still several flaws on the Yankees roster that need to be addressed before the start of next season. They ranked in the bottom half of Major League Baseball in weighted on-base average at shortstop and left field in 2022.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit .261/.314/.327 as New York's primary starting shortstop last season.

Signing Correa would be a massive upgrade at the position for the Bronx Bombers. The two-time All-Star has a .279/.357/.479 slash line in 888 career games.

It's interesting Olney would throw out the Yankees as a potential landing spot for Correa. Many players on their team, including Judge, were very critical of the Houston Astros and their players in the wake of the cheating scandal during the 2017 season.

"I just don't think it holds any value with me. You cheated and you didn't earn it," Judge told reporters in February 2020. "It wasn't earned the way of playing the game right and fighting to the end. The biggest thing about competition is laying it all out on the line, and whoever's the better player, better person, comes out on top. And to know that another team had an advantage—nothing that you can really guard against—I just don't feel like that's earned."

Rosenthal reported earlier this week the Los Angeles Dodgers won't pursue Correa, despite having a need at shortstop after losing Trea Turner, "in part out of concern that a sizable portion of their fanbase would not welcome the move."

The 2017 Astros defeated the Yankees in the American League Championship Series and Dodgers in the World Series.

In the wake of Judge re-signing with the Yankees, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported the "consensus" around MLB is the Giants were favorites to sign Correa.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network reported the Giants had an offer to Judge believed to be around $360 million.

If the Giants were willing to offer Judge that much money, there's no reason they can't shift it to Correa. There's an argument he would be a better fit than Judge because he's two years younger (28) and plays a more important defensive position.

The Giants have already fallen far behind the Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the NL West. They need to do something big to regain relevance in their own division and become a playoff contender in 2023.

The San Francisco Giants have made shortstop Carlos Correa their "top priority" in free agency, and they are the front-runners to land the highly coveted player, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

"The consensus around the industry is that the Giants are in the driver's seat for Correa, given their financial flexibility and need for a big name," Slusser reported.

The Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox are also considered potential contenders to sign Correa.

Correa spent last season with the Twins, hitting .291 with 22 home runs and an .834 OPS. He played his first seven years with the Houston Astros, earning two All-Star selections, a Gold Glove award and a World Series title in 2017.

In 2021, the shortstop finished fifth in voting for the AL MVP award when he hit .279 with 26 home runs and 92 RBI.

After signing a three-year contract with opt-outs last offseason, Correa is now seeking a long-term deal this winter. Fellow shortstops Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts have already signed 11-year contracts with the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, respectively.

Correa and Dansby Swanson are the two biggest hitters still available in free agency, putting pressure on teams to close a deal before the top options run out.

The Giants have been looking to make a splash this offseason with a big-name addition, as Maria Guardado of MLB.com reported in November. They were heavily involved in the sweepstakes for Aaron Judge and offered him a contract in the "neighborhood" of $360 million, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Judge, a Northern California native, instead decided to re-sign with the Yankees for the same amount of money.

The Giants are clearly willing to spend, but they have so far been unable to land a top free agent. Correa could change that and improve a roster that went 81-81 last season.

The San Francisco Giants might have missed out on Aaron Judge, but they still have plenty of chances to make this a consequential offseason.

Judge is returning to the New York Yankees after agreeing to a nine-year, $360 million contract, per multiple reports.

After failing to reel in the biggest fish on the market, the Giants seem poised to look toward one of the best shortstops available.

The next step for the Giants is to dive into the shortstop market, with Carlos Correa at the top of their list. They've pushed hard for another starting pitcher in recent days and still want one more outfielder.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) December 7, 2022

The dominos will start toppling now that Judge had made his decision. Giants will pivot to the shortstop market and cause action there. Red Sox have slow-played their hand on Bogaerts so far. Will ownership now step up? No doors have closed.

— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) December 7, 2022

Trea Turner is off the board after reportedly agreeing to an 11-year, $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, but that still leaves Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson.

Correa is not only the best of the three, but he would also carry the most symbolism for San Francisco.

The Giants targeted Bryce Harper before he landed in Philadelphia. They were linked last offseason with Marcus Semien, who signed with the Texas Rangers. If they're unable to seal the deal with both Judge and Correa, then it would further the perception the franchise simply isn't a marquee destination for free agents.

Losing out on Judge stings, but adding a two-time All-Star who hit 22 home runs with a .291/.366/.467 slash line in 2022 would be a great consolation prize.

Bogaerts, meanwhile, has been one of the most consistent shortstops in baseball over the last few years. Since 2018, he has an .880 OPS and a 133 OPS+, per Baseball Reference. His 22.4 WAR over that span also ranks fourth at the position on FanGraphs.

San Francisco agreed to a three-year, $43.5 million deal with Mitch Haniger, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. Assuming the front office is still looking for another outfielder, it could look toward Andrew Benintendi or Brandon Nimmo.

Benintendi set career highs in batting average (.304) and on-base percentage (.373) in 2022, explaining to The Athletic's Eno Sarris and Zach Buchanan how he changed his approach at the plate.

"My approach right now is realizing I’m not going to hit 35 homers," he said. "It’s getting on base, be a tough out, see pitches, use the whole field. This year, it’s finally come together."

Nimmo would offer more power—16 homers in 2022 and a .441 career slugging percentage—but he has made 100-plus appearances just twice since becoming a full-time regular in 2017.

Benintendi might be the safer of the two options, albeit with a lower ceiling.

Looking to the pitching staff, the Giants need to replace their ace, with NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reporting they "do not expect" to re-sign Carlos Rodón.

Although Rodón remains unsigned, the starter market is quickly drying up. Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Bassitt are two of the best still available, and neither projects as a true No. 1 option. Corey Kluber, likewise, bounced back nicely in 2021 and 2022 but will be 37 in April.

Noah Syndergaard is a bit of a buyer beware signing, too. The 2016 All-Star had a 3.94 ERA with the Phillies and Los Angeles Angels but averaged just 6.3 strikeouts per nine innings in his first full year back from Tommy John surgery.

Sean Manaea would give the Giants another lefty in the rotation, and you can reasonably assume his 4.96 ERA in 2022—a full run higher than his ERA in six years with the Oakland Athletics (3.86) was a bit of an outlier.

Whatever happens with the Giants from here, one thing is clear from their pursuit of Judge: Ownership gave the front office the green light to spend.

The San Francisco Giants have reportedly agreed to a three-year, $43.5 million deal with veteran outfielder Mitch Haniger, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

According to that report, "Signing Haniger does not take the Giants out of the running for Aaron Judge. They have been pursuing both throughout free agency."

Haniger, 31, will give the Giants an instant dose of power. While he only played in 57 games last year due to back and ankle injuries and a bout with COVID-19, he still managed 11 homers and 34 RBI for the Seattle Mariners.

A healthy Haniger was excellent in 2021, hitting .253 with 39 dingers, 100 RBI, 110 runs and a .804 OPS in 157 contests. The 2018 All-Star has dealt with serious injury issues in his career, however, as a ruptured testicle and sports hernia cost him half the 2019 season and the full 2020 campaign.

But the 2021 version of Haniger, alongside the potential addition of Judge, would immediately give the Giants a ton of pop in the middle of the order. Last season, Joc Pederson led the team in both homers (23) and slugging percentage (.521), while Wilmer Flores topped the club in RBI (71).

For the moment, the reporting surrounding Judge is that he'll choose between the only team he's played for in his MLB career, the New York Yankees, and his favorite team from his childhood, the Giants.

Giants are in with a big offer to Judge — believed to be $360M neighborhood — but the assumption/belief among rivals is that the Yankees remain favorites. Yankees are hopeful but say they still don’t know.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 6, 2022

The Giants still, of course, are trying to sign Aaron Judge, just like the #Yankees.
Both teams insist that no decision has been made. https://t.co/nCIkX1SrE2

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 7, 2022

"There are those in the industry who believe that he already has in hand that nine-year offer we've been talking about for a while." 👀@jonmorosi has the latest news on Aaron Judge's market. #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/WcCqJT0gRI

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 5, 2022

Judge, 30, is the crown jewel of free agency after an AL MVP season that saw him hit .311 with 62 homers, 131 RBI, 133 runs and an eye-popping 1.111 OPS. He basically willed the Yankees into the postseason, and his loss would be devastating for New York.

His addition would be franchise-altering for the Giants, a team that won three World Series titles between the 2010-14 seasons but has made the playoffs just twice since.

One domino has fallen for San Francisco in its efforts to improve the lineup. All eyes now turn to Judge.