One free agent each MLB team needs to target this offseason

San Francisco Giants: Dellin Betances

After a red-hot July convinced the front office to stand pat at the trade deadline, the Giants crashed back to earth in a big way in August and September en route to a 77-85 finish. Perhaps they owed it to their fans to try for one last run with Madison Bumgarner, but the decision ultimately cost the team a chance to add quality prospects for the future.

The Giants are not much closer to being ready to contend in the NL West than they were at the same time last year.

The Giants need to have a clean break from Bumgarner and keep their focus on the rebuilding process. There should be no major signings or trades this winter, but San Francisco may benefit from taking a flier on a low-cost deal with injured reliever Dellin Betances, who made just $7.1 million in his final season in New York.

Betances was a force to be reckoned with during his best years with the Yankees, but his time in the Bronx ended on a terrible note after he injured his Achilles in his only appearance of 2019. The 31-year-old right-hander is a four-time All-Star who has struck out 14.6 batters per nine in his eight-year career.

The torn Achilles Betances suffered in September could keep him out for more than half of the 2020 season, so signing him to a two-year, incentive-laden deal makes sense. The Giants will need help in their bullpen, assuming All-Star closer Will Smith also follows Bumgarner out the door.

For Betances, there aren’t many better places to pitch than San Francisco, and he may also benefit from returning to the mound in a setting with less pressure.