There are times during a Giants season when it seems like not a day goes by without a transaction. But for the last three months, Farhan Zaidi and Scott Harris have been put on ice. They've been working and tinkering and thinking about what they might do with the 2022 roster, yet they haven't been allowed to contact agents, other executives or forgotten minor leaguers who might turn into the next unexpected success story.
All of that changed at 4 p.m. on Thursday afternoon.
The end of the lockout quickly brought about the second half of the offseason, and phones across the country started to burn up as front offices and agents got back to business as usual. This time, however, there's a twist. There are hundreds of free agents and dozens of trades to be made, but opening day is less than four weeks away.
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On Thursday, shortly after the new deal was reached, Giants president and CEO Larry Baer predicted downright craziness. And Baer said the Giants are "primed to be out there" in the middle of the storm.
"I think like a lot of teams were going to be pretty aggressive," Baer said. "This is going to be a flurry, a frenzied period, I think, pretty much starting tonight. We've been preparing for it, as have others, but we have not been in contact (with players or other teams). You've got this plan, and the question is where do you go with the plan versus 29 other teams that have a plan.
"I think you'll certainly see some additions to fill out the team. It's going to be an exciting period sooner rather than later."
Three months without moves also meant three months without many rumors, but as the Giants get back to work, here are five names to keep an eye on for a variety of reasons.
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Seiya Suzuki
There isn't a better fit on the market than the 27-year-old Japanese star who will bring power from the right side and should slide into right field for a contender. The Giants really like Suzuki, and there are a lot of reasons why he might choose San Francisco after countrymen like Ichiro Suzuki and Shohei Ohtani ended up elsewhere. A lot of teams like Suzuki, of course. The Red Sox are known to be a notable suitor in the American League.
Kris Bryant
Last July's blockbuster addition will either sign one of the richest deals in franchise history or become one of the biggest stars to ever get a taste of the Giants way and immediately end up elsewhere. Before the lockout, the smart money was on the latter.
Bryant was a good fit last summer, although the Giants have expected his market to get out of their comfort zone. As a Scott Boras client, he figures to be one of the few free agents willing to wait this out until much closer to Opening Day. If the Giants can get what they perceive as a bargain, Bryant would still fit their greatest need, adding a right-handed bat to the heart of a lineup that lost Buster Posey.
Kyle Schwarber
The new CBA came with a universal DH, and while the Giants are led by left-handed bats, they certainly could use one more given the extra spot. Schwarber is not strictly a DH, which would be helpful since the Giants would prefer to rotate different veterans into that spot.
After hitting 32 homers in 113 games last season, Schwarber figures to be extremely popular, especially with 15 additional teams now needing a DH. It seems like he's been around forever. He's only 29, so this should be an expensive long-term deal. For the purposes of this list, Schwarber serves as a good fit but also a placeholder. The glaring need for three months has been a right-handed bat, and now that they officially have a DH to work with, the Giants can more comfortably expand their search to lefties, as well.
Tyler Mahle ...
... or Luis Castillo ... or Chris Bassitt ... or Sean Manaea ... or, just about anyone who would be acquired via trade for that final rotation spot. There are plenty of free agents out there and some of them are probably desperate to get into camp quickly. But if the Giants want more upside, the trade market is overflowing with potential options.
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We learned a lot over the past three months, including the fact that a lot of owners out there would prefer to keep their wallets closed. Could the Giants target one of those teams and take on a bad contract to get a No. 2 starter behind Logan Webb? Could they deal from a very deep farm system? They have plenty of options, but Mahle gets the bold lettering here because the Giants like guys who might still have more ceiling, and also because he's a Cincinnati Red and they all become Giants at some point anyway.
Johnny Cueto
Speaking of former Reds, Cueto is a free agent, but he doesn't fit the Giants anymore. They either need to deal for a higher-upside starter or leave those innings to pitchers who can be optioned or also pitch out of the bullpen. We list Cueto here because the free agent frenzy will include some familiar names, so get ready to say some goodbyes.
Bryant qualifies, and so too does Donovan Solano. After becoming a surprise Silver Slugger winner in San Francisco, Donnie Barrels is almost certainly headed elsewhere. The Giants can give those at-bats to Thairo Estrada, unless they decide to give them to Mauricio Dubon. The guy who loses out there could wind up in another jersey, as both are out of options.
Finally, there's Alex Dickerson, as good a symbol for this new era of Giants player development and discovery as any. The chant will be in another dugout this season. He was a good Giant, and those guys are sometimes watched almost as closely as the newcomers.
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