The San Francisco Giants revamped their roster for the 2024 season with hopes of making the playoffs, but they finished with a disappointing 80-82 record. As they look to improve for 2025, free-agent slugger Anthony Santander is being considered as a target.
SI.com’s Christian Rauh identified Santander as one of three potential upgrades for the Giants’ outfield this offseason. After eight successful years with the Baltimore Orioles, Santander is entering free agency following a standout season where he hit a career-high 44 home runs, ranking second in the American League behind Aaron Judge.
In addition to his home run tally, Santander achieved single-season career highs with an .814 OPS, 135 OPS+, 102 RBIs, 91 runs scored, and a 3.3 WAR, according to FanGraphs. The 2024 All-Star earned $11.7 million with the Orioles and is expected to receive a significant raise, with Spotrac projecting a five-year, $88 million contract for him.
How Anthony Santander Can Fit Into the Giants’ Lineup
Anthony Santander played various roles for the Baltimore Orioles in the 2024 season, appearing in 130 games as a right fielder, 25 as a designated hitter, and even one inning at first base.
The San Francisco Giants have room for improvement in all three positions based on their 2024 performance. Their right fielders collectively posted a .239/.305/.429 batting line, contributing 24 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 70 runs in 630 plate appearances. Mike Yastrzemski handled the majority of the workload with 121 games played.
As for the designated hitter role, the Giants’ production ranked 16th in MLB with a 103 wRC+, totaling 20 home runs, 66 RBIs, and 91 runs scored. Jorge Soler was the primary contributor in that spot but was traded at the deadline.
Additionally, the Giants could benefit from an upgrade at first base, where their group had a 100 wRC+ (21st in the league), hitting 14 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 65 runs. Although Santander has only played 12 games at first base in his career, he could offer a creative solution or be a consideration for future flexibility in that position.
Could Anthony Santander Break the Giants’ Power Drought?
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The Giants play at Oracle Park, known for being pitcher-friendly, and Statcast’s Park Factors have ranked it as the toughest stadium to hit home runs in Major League Baseball over the past three seasons.
Despite winning three World Series titles since 2010, the Giants have struggled to find a consistent power source in their lineup. Barry Bonds remains the last Giants player to hit over 30 home runs in a season, achieving that milestone in 2004 with 45 homers and 101 RBIs.
There was hope that Jorge Soler could end the power drought after signing a three-year, $42 million deal last winter, but that hope faded when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in July. Soler managed to hit 12 homers in 93 games before the trade, and the Giants’ 2024 home run leader was third baseman Matt Chapman, who hit 27 in his first season with the team.
If the Giants sign Santander, he could potentially break this streak. In addition to his 44 home runs in 2024, he has previously hit over 30 homers in another season, making him a valuable addition for a team in need of power.
