Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Nick Castellanos’ intriguing bat and questionable glove is indeed coming to the National League, but not to Oracle Park.
The Giants missed out on one target Monday, with Castellanos agreeing to a four-year deal with opt-outs with the Reds worth around $16 million per year, according to multiple reports.
Castellanos, 27, is the type of young, power-hitting slugger the Giants have sought this offseason. His righty bat, too, would have fit well in a lefty-heavy outfield that is not ready to seriously compete yet, yet his age could have seen him grow with the team. His glove has been the concern, but apparently not enough of one to stop Cincinnati.
But the Giants have not been splashy this offseason, soon entering spring training with a roster that looks worse than the one that finished last season 77-85. It appears the big pieces will have to wait at least a season to be added.
“We’ve got a few irons in the fire there,” Farhan Zaidi told KNBR’s Larry Krueger last week about their search for outfield sluggers. “I would expect us to bring on another outfielder, maybe two, before we start camp here.”
On the free-agent market, the most intriguing — and surely polarizing — option still available is Yasiel Puig, who is a power-hitting righty bat and would fit better in a clubhouse that doesn’t include Madison Bumgarner. Apart from Puig, though, there is very little left that would make sense for the Giants, perhaps increasing the odds for a trade addition.
A team like the Padres could offer good prospect bounty for another team to eat the contract of Wil Myers. The Yankees could look to deal J.A. Happ’s pact and have outfielder Clint Frazier blocked at the major league level.
Castellanos, though, was the class of the market, fresh off a torrid run in an abbreviated stint with the Cubs in which he hit 16 home runs in 51 games, with new Giants GM Scott Harris watching from the front office.
