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The San Francisco Giants are entering a new era with Buster Posey running the front office. This winter will be crucial as they try to build a consistent contender. Will outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger be part of the equation?
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden shared his thoughts on “best team fits” and contract predictions for 45 MLB players slated to hit free agency. He ranked Bellinger as his 14th-best impending free agent and listed the Giants among his best landing spots.
San Francisco was just one of nine teams Bowden mentioned, though. The Giants were joined by the Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals.
Bellinger signed a three-year, $80 million deal last February with the Cubs after winning his second Silver Slugger Award. He has a chance to opt out of his current deal this winter to re-test free agency if he desires.
The versatile left-handed hitter posted a .751 OPS with 18 home runs, 23 doubles, 78 RBI and 72 runs scored through 569 plate appearances in 2024.
Cody Bellinger’s Versatility Would Be Perfect for the Giants
One of the biggest selling points for Bellinger whenever he becomes a free agent again is his defensive versatility. He’s racked up at least 300 career innings at all three outfield spots and first base. He’s manned center field, right field and first base for more than 1,000 innings each, per Baseball-Reference.
FanGraphs’ Roster Resource has the Giants’ starting outfield for next season consisting of Jung Hoo Lee, Grant McCray and Mike Yasztremski. All-Star Heliot Ramos is slotted in as their designated hitter.
This situation is far from certain. Lee will be returning from season-ending shoulder surgery. McCray has racked up just 130 plate appearances in the big leagues. Yastrzemski will be entering his final year of arbitration but has also been named a potential offseason trade candidate.
LaMonte Wade Jr. likely isn’t cemented as the starting first baseman heading into 2025. He posted a .761 OPS with eight homers, 34 RBI and 45 runs scored in 401 plate appearances last year.
Bellinger’s skill set would suit the Giants’ needs—both next season and beyond.
Can the Giants Lure a Big-Time Free Agent to San Francisco?
Before Bellinger can start getting courted by other teams, he must first decide whether he’ll opt into 2025 with the Cubs. If he opts for free agency, it’ll be interesting to see how the Giants stack up with others if they’re legitimately interested.
They’ve been trying to get a top-tier position player on their roster for years via trade or free agency. The main theme here is that San Francisco has come up empty every time. This includes previous pursuits for Giancarlo Stanton, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, Carlos Correa and Shohei Ohtani.
Posey has a lot of work to do this winter. It’ll be intriguing to watch the direction he takes the franchise in the coming months, and whether Bellinger is part of his vision.
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