The San Francisco Giants got one of the better free agents in the 2024 class by taking Jorge Soler. Soler, who last played for the Miami Marlins, was given a three-year contract by the team in free agency. The intent behind the move is clear: add some much-needed power to an ailing batting lineup.
Before taking Soler, though, the Giants took a stab at another power hitter. J.D Martinez, the hard-hitting outfielder of the Los Angeles Dodgers, was offered a one-year contract by the Giants, per Bob Nightengale. However, Martinez reportedly refused said offer.
“The San Francisco Giants offered DH J.D. Martinez a one-year, $14 million contract, which he rejected, seeking a two-year deal. The Giants then turned to Jorge Soler, signing him to a three-year, $42 million contract.”
Martinez was an elite power hitter for the Dodgers in 2023. He smashed 33 homers throughout the season, slugging .893 in the year. It’s not like he was swinging and missing at a lot: he had a pretty good .273 BA as well. He would’ve been a great option for the Giants had he agreed to a one-year deal.
That being said, Soler is not a bad candidate at all to fill that role for the Giants. After a rough first season with the Marlins, Soler found his stride in 2023. He earned another All-Star award thanks to his power hitting (36 home runs and a .853 slugging percentage). It’s the same power that helped the Braves win the World Series back in 2021, and earned him a World Series MVP. Soler was not retained by the Marlins after they did not take his qualifying offer. As a result, the Giants swooped in to take the former Braves star.
The Giants haven’t had a player hit 30 home runs in a season since the great Barry Bonds back in 2004. With the league shifting away from small-ball and leaning into power, San Francisco has slowly fallen behind. Having an elite threat like Soler hitting bombs will surely open up more scoring opportunities for the Giants next season. Hopefully, this will be the key ingredient they need in order to get back into title contention.
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