The San Francisco Giants are reportedly interested in free agents Mitch Haniger and Kenley Jansen. Haniger is a good hitter who's from the area, but has dealt with injuries (sometimes fluky ones, like when he ruptured a testicle on a foul ball) and has been an inconsistent defender. It's hard to envision a scenario in which the Giants want to add both Aaron Judge and Haniger, because they're both corner outfielders. Judge can play center, but it's beleived that the SF Giants want truly elite defense up the middle, so players like Kevin Kiermaier, Cody Bellinger, and even Brandon Nimmo might make the most sense in that regard.
Kenley Jansen is one of the best relievers in baseball history. He's now 35 years old, but he had another really good season for the 101-win Braves in 2022, notching 41 saves with a 3.38 ERA. It's unclear whether Jansen would take the closer's role from the young flamethrower Camilo Doval, or if he would accept a role as a non-closer. Regardless, it's not hard to see why the Giants would be interested in a major bullpen upgrade, especially one who could likely be signed to a one- or two-year deal. The Giants' clear preference in free agency is to sign their impact talent on short-term deals, and Jansen would certainly fit the mold (although they haven't really spent big on relievers, so in some ways it would deviate from the SF Giants' tendencies).
Cody Bellinger was non-tendered by the Dodgers on Friday, making him a free agent. It has been reported that the San Francisco Giants make a lot of sense for Bellinger. But in reality, Bellinger might make a lot of sense for the Giants, but not necessarily the other way around. Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, recently told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal that they likely prefer a one-year deal for Bellinger. And why would Bellinger want to come to Oracle Park, of all places, in hopes of rebuilding offensive value?
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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.
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