Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
While the Giants won’t lead the league in wins, they may compete for first in nostalgia.
A day after San Francisco and Pablo Sandoval agreed to a minor league pact, the Giants are being linked with a reunion with Hunter Pence. MLB Network reported Thursday the Giants are among the teams showing interest in the outfielder.
Pence, the immensely popular figure in San Francisco from 2012-18, had a renaissance last season in Texas, where he was an 18-home run-hitting All-Star. An offseason swing change reversed his career path in Year 13, and now he’s a difficult free agent to gauge; will a competitive team buy into his comeback and view him as a starting outfielder?
So far, no. The Giants are lurking with a heavily lefty outfield and would like to add a righty, which Pence is. Farhan Zaidi recently told KNBR’s Larry Krueger that he envisioned bringing in one or two more outfielders before camp begins in two weeks. It’s unlikely Pence would accept a minor league deal, but if his market does not form, the Giants will be there.
The Giants are building for the future, which Pence, 37 in April, does not fit into. He will not be on the next good Giants team, but perhaps he can be on the next Giants team, which surely would help ticket sales in a season that will be difficult to market.