With a clear need to overhaul their roster, the Giants will have to get busy — and creative — this offseason
Although the free agency class is considered weak outside of Shohei Ohtani, two superstars from overseas could change that. The Giants have telegraphed interest in both.
Korean Baseball Organization MVP Jung Hoo Lee and Nippon Baseball League phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto have each been linked to the Giants already. Both are expected to be posted to MLB and draw serious interest from across the league.
Lee, 25, has won five KBO Gold Glove awards as a center fielder and was the 2022 league MVP. According to multiple reports, Giants general manager Pete Putila visited Korea recently to scout Lee, who has been rehabbing from an ankle injury.
In 85 games before his injury this season, Lee hit .319 with a .863 OPS. He has walked more than twice as frequently as he struck out in each of the past two seasons, displaying the type of plate discipline the Giants have craved.
The Giants have scouted Lee before, and their pressing need for an everyday center fielder makes him an appealing target.
It’s unclear what kind of contract Lee could garner, while Yamamoto is expected to break the bank.
Yamamoto, who has pitched for the Orix Buffaloes in the NPB, is a two-time MVP. The 25-year-old righty has a 1.72 ERA as a pro and has struck out at least a batter per inning in each of the past four seasons.
When Yamamoto debuted in the NPB in 2017 as an 18-year-old, he registered a 2.35 ERA — the highest of his professional career. He dominated on a massive stage last spring, allowing two runs in 7.1 innings during the World Baseball Classic for Team Japan.
On NBC Sports Bay Area’s Giants Talk Podcast, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi raved about Yamamoto’s combination of athleticism, stuff and command.
“It’s been a pilgrimage over there from front office people to see him,” Zaidi said of Yamamoto. “He’s really one of the top starting pitchers in the world. I know it sounds like an exaggeration, but it’s not. It sounds like a big statement, but yeah, I think both of those guys will attract some interest and we’re just continuing to do our work on them in anticipation of their posting in a couple of months.”
The Giants are far from alone in aggressively scouting Yamamoto, with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and Mets officials having been in attendance for his no-hitter in September.
Zaidi indicated during his end of season press conference that the Giants aren’t expected to pursue rotation depth given their current pitching staff. But, Zaidi added, every team would love to add ace-level starting pitching. Yamamoto would fit the bill.
Masahiro Tanaka signed a seven-year, $155 million deal out of Japan. Last year, Kodai Senga signed for $75 million over five seasons. Yoshinobu’s contract could surpass both of them.
Although the Giants under Zaidi have avoided long-term deals for starting pitchers, Yoshinobu’s age and clean history of health could make him an exception.
After two mediocre seasons and growing instability at the highest levels of leadership in the organization, the Giants need to take big swings this offseason. That very well could include making a splash in the international waters.
