Recent reports highlight the Bay Area, where Buster Posey, the new president of baseball operations, is aiming high in his efforts to sign top free-agent starter. If the San Francisco Giants succeed in landing Him, their rotation for 2025 could feature a formidable 1-2 punch with him and Logan Webb.
In recent years, the Giants have made moves to strengthen their roster, signing players like Jorge Soler, Jung Hoo Lee, and Blake Snell. However, these acquisitions haven’t panned out, leading to Farhan Zaidi’s departure. More recently, they signed Willy Adames to kick off the new Posey era, hoping to boost a lineup that hit just 177 home runs last season, ranking 16th in the majors. The prospect of adding Burnes led insider Jon Heyman to assert in the New York Post:
“The Giants and Blue Jays are among a handful of teams showing significant interest in star right-hander Corbin Burnes, and new Giants baseball president Buster Posey met late Tuesday with Burnes’ agent, Scott Boras… While the Giants have a solid rotation with a proven ace in Logan Webb, Burnes would make them a wild-card contender in an extremely tough division.”
Could Heyman be right in calling the Giants a wild-card threat? Let’s break down some key facts and numbers to shed light on the situation.
Would the Giants be a Wild Card threat if they signed Corbin Burnes?
To begin with, the Giants ended the 2024 season with an 80-82 record, finishing fourth in the NL West. With a nine-game deficit in the Wild Card race, their chances were slim. This will serve as the baseline for our discussion. With Willy Adames batting behind Heliot Ramos and LaMonte Wade Jr., the Giants’ offensive potential looks stronger. However, there are key similarities and differences to consider.
Although the Giants had Blake Snell last season, they still fell short. Two major distinctions set Snell’s performance apart from what Burnes could bring next season. Snell was sidelined for over a month and struggled before his injury, whereas if Burnes has a repeat of his previous season, he could significantly elevate the Giants’ position in the NL, more so than Snell did last year.
Another important loss is Michael Conforto, who, like Snell, is heading to Los Angeles. Conforto ranked third on the team in home runs and RBIs. While Adames is expected to be the team’s top offensive contributor next year, the question remains: Is he enough to propel the Giants into Wild Card contention?
Also worth mentioning is Jung Hoo Lee, who had an injury-plagued season but showed promise in his first year after arriving from South Korea. The real question is whether adding Burnes would make the Giants a serious Wild Card contender.
The NL was highly competitive last season, with the D-Backs matching the Braves and Mets in wins and losses but still missing out on the postseason. The Cubs and Cardinals finished ahead of the Giants, but with the Cardinals possibly rebuilding and the D-Backs losing Christian Walker, the Giants may find an opening. However, the Cubs’ addition of Kyle Tucker complicates things. The NL is shaping up to be a fierce competition. Could Jon Heyman’s prediction be accurate?
If the Giants secure Burnes, it would undoubtedly improve their chances of surpassing last season’s performance. While they could be in the Wild Card race, they would still not be guaranteed a spot.
Be the first to comment