Longtime SF Giants third baseman Evan Longoria may have already played his final game with the team. Currently a free agent after the Giants declined a club option for 2023, Longoria is drawing interest from one of San Francisco's division rivals. The Diamondbacks are among five teams showing interest in Longoria, according to a report by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Originally planning to decide if he would retire ahead of 2023, early reports suggested he only wanted to play for a select few teams. However, perhaps after feeling out the market, Longoria decided he would be willing to play for any competitive team in 2023,
While the Diamondbacks are not necessarily contenders at this time, having finished 2022 at 74-88, Longoria has a home in the Phoenix area, making the prospect of playing for the Dbacks a possible exception. Furthermore, Arizona caught fire in the second half of the season thanks to the emergence of several young outfielders. Many consider them a sleeper heading into 2023.
On the infield, the Dbacks struggled to find an everyday third baseman throughout last season. Josh Rojas and Emmanuel Rivera are the team's primary options at the hot corner right now, but Rojas is likely best in a super-utility role, and is a left-handed hitter while Rivera has yet to prove himself at the big-league level. Longoria would seem like an obvious upgrade.
Longo has been the Giants’ starting third baseman since the 2018 season, though his tenure has been mired in injuries which have limited his ability to play consistently. Despite that, in 2022, he managed a .244/.315/.451 triple-slash with 13 doubles and 14 home runs in 89 games.
His defense has made him a true fan favorite. In 2022, he earned +1 Out Above Average at third base, having played just a little over half of the season’s games and helping to provide much-needed stability for an inconsistent (at best) infield. holey infield. Despite his advanced age, Longoria has consistently been an excellent defender throughout his Giants tenure.
In October, Giants’ president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said that he felt there was space for Evan Longoria on the team in 2023, adding, "He's really been a great Giant certainly during my time here.” However, it seems San Francisco has gone in a different direction. Now, the Arizona Diamondbacks appear to be one of the most likely landing spots for Evan Longoria this offseason.
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