MLB Rumors: Mets-Jordan Montgomery, Blake Snell-Yankees trouble, SF Giants big splash
- Giants expected to land one major Scott Boras client before free agency ends
- Blake Snell's new demands could spell trouble for Yankees
- Mets make a lot of sense for Jordan Montgomery
MLB rumors: Giants expected to sign Matt Chapman or Blake Snell
The San Francisco Giants have been extremely active this offseason, both on the trade front (Robbie Ray) and in free agency (Jung Hoo Lee, Jorge Soler, Jordan Hicks). With the Los Angeles Dodgers ready to erupt and the Arizona Diamondbacks fresh off a World Series appearance, the NL West is a bloodbath. There is a tremendous amount of pressure on San Francisco to keep pace.
New manager Bob Melvin brings decades of leadership experience to the dugout. Unlike Gabe Kapler. Still, the Giants' busy offseason has not quite yielded the level of change fans hoped for. They are still operating at a major talent disadvantage compared to the Dodgers, and arguably the Diamondbacks. The Braves and the Phillies on the East Coast further complicate the matter. If San Francisco wants to truly contend in the National League, the front office needs to stay aggressive.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, that is exactly the plan. He expects the Giants to land either Matt Chapman or Blake Snell before all is said and done. Maybe even both.
"If I were to guess today, I'm gonna say Giants"@JonHeyman thinks the @SFGiants will end up with either Blake Snell or Matt Chapman
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 28, 2024
▶️ https://t.co/IhZRrxbsXe pic.twitter.com/4q65sCFysk
With Cody Bellinger finally off the market, Scott Boras still represents the three best players left in free agency — Snell, Chapman, and Jordan Montgomery. San Francisco has been tied to each of them at various points in the offseason. Few organizations have been more aggressive in their pursuit of star power over the last few years. Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Carlos Correa were all on the Giants' to-do list at one point. After coming up just short of some of the game's top players, San Francisco could jump at the opportunity to land a high-level free agent with prices about to drop after months of market stagnation.
Chapman is one of the best defensive third basemen in the MLB, and he's a legitimate power source on offense. Blake Snell just won his second Cy Young award right down the coast in San Diego. So, either option would meaningfully improve the Giants' outlook ahead of a pivotal 2024 campaign, especially if neither requires a long-term commitment.