By Shayna Rubin, San Francisco Chronicle The Tribune Content Agency
SAN ANTONIO - Buster Posey and the new-look San Francisco Giants' brass seem open to going after premier free agents. The question now is: Can Posey's influence transform the Giants from perennial runners up for big-fish free agents to winners?
"I don't think there's going to be a hesitancy to try," Posey said. "At the same time, you have to be realistic about where things stand, survey everything around us and make the best decision we can with all the information."
The Giants went over the luxury-tax threshold last season and, after a disappointing season, principal owner Greg Johnson said at Posey's introductory news conference that "we will do what we have to do and spend to put a winning team on the field." So there appears to be financial flexibility to get the superstar this team sorely lacks.
Outfielder Juan Soto, 26, is the jewel of the free agency class and Posey lauded the superstar's tenacity at the plate when asked about his impressions.
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"I think no matter what the score is, no matter the situation, he's not giving in in an at-bat," he said.
Competition for Soto's services will be fierce and the contract he eventually signs could be jaw-dropping. As with their pursuits for Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, the Giants' willingness to shell out a big contract doesn't promise them anything.
The hope is that Posey's influence can tip the scales a little bit more in their favor. Posey met with agent Scott Boras - who represents Soto, first baseman Pete Alonso, starter Blake Snell and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim - for an extended period during the general manager meetings in San Antonio.
If they whiff on Soto, they could go for an elite shortstop - a stated focus for them.
It's worth wondering if Kim could be a more likely target. Posey emphasized they hope to build on the defense, saying of his shortstop search that, "Defense is a priority, but offense matters, too." In recent years, Kim has been the superior defender to another free agent, Willy Adames.
He added: "I think in our ballpark, hopefully we're going to play a lot of close games. If pitching is a strong attribute, an ability to make routine plays and great plays becomes even more important. We obviously feel really good about Chapman at third. Having Jung Hoo (Lee) back is going to be a nice boost. (Patrick) Bailey behind the plate, we're strong there. It's hard to say, they're all important. It's hard to weigh one more than the other. ... We want to be stronger up the middle."
Beyond shortstop, the Giants' search for upgrades won't necessarily go by position.
"I think we have to be open to pretty much a lot of positions," he said. "We have to be open to looking where we can improve, we just have to wait and see where things unfold."
The Giants could squeeze more offense out of first base. In 2024, they fell flat at the position with LaMonte Wade Jr., Wilmer Flores and Mark Canha. Flores, who had knee surgery last season, exercised his $3.5 million option for 2025 and Posey said they expect to see him in spring training - the alternative would be to release him.
"I have to imagine the injury was hampering him drastically," Posey said. "He's one of the best barrel-finders I've been around."
Pete Alonso, 30, is the top power-hitting first baseman available who will likely command a long-term deal. Christian Walker, 34, is another free agent option and is represented by CAA, the same agency that represented Posey. But both received qualifying offers from their previous teams, which means signing them will cost them draft picks. And the Giants had already lost their second- and third-round picks in the 2024 MLB draft for signing Matt Chapman and Blake Snell.
There's optimism that Bryce Eldridge's rapid ascent through the minor leagues is a real sign that he can burst into the bigs and be the team's first baseman of the future sometime next season.
"It's pretty incredible. He was 19, just turned 20. He could pass for 35 probably," Posey said. "Which is a little different from the way I looked when I was 19 and 20. But I think we have to remember that, too. He just turned 20. He just had his first full year, an incredible first full season, where he got to touch a lot of different levels. We have to be excited for a guy that can hold his own with that type of polished pitching that he was facing."
Of concern is Eldridge's defense, which hasn't caught up with his bat - he hit 23 home runs across four minor league levels last season and hit a pair of home runs in the Arizona Fall League.
Posey said their player search includes the outfield despite depth there with Heliot Ramos, Lee, Luis Matos and Grant McCray. It sounds as if he's leaning on tendering a contract to Mike Yastrzemski, a Gold Glove finalist.
"I think so," he said. "You have to keep an open mind. Yaz is somebody I played with and consider a friend. That's an interesting one for me, there are several guys on the roster I played with so that's something I have to navigate."
Staff writer John Shea contributed to this story.
Reach Shayna Rubin: [email protected]