It doesn't appear as if Brandon Belt, who helped the San Francisco Giants win two World Series titles, will be heading back to the Bay Area this offseason.
While Belt remains a special part of team history, he doesn't seem to fit with the vision of the roster under new manager Bob Melvin.
Having him would mean utilizing him at designated hitter, which would reportedly cause an unwanted ripple effect.
Per 'The Athletic.'
That team won’t be the Giants, though. Club officials tossed around the idea of a Belt reunion, but signing a lefty-hitting DH would mean shifting Conforto to the outfield, potentially sending Matos back to Triple A and reducing their overall range and athleticism.
There are still other additions the Giants could make that would have that effect. But they appear content to start the season with a semi-stable outfield of Matos in left field, Lee in center and a Mike Yastrzemski/Austin Slater combination in right. (If Blake Sabol cracks the opening-day roster, he might serve as a left-handed complement to Matos against select right-handed starters.)
So the team evidently wants to use Michael Conforto as the primary designated hitter. The soon-to-be 31-year-old is a career .253 hitter with 147 homers. He got just over 400 at-bats last year for the Giants, popping 15 big flies.
The Giants finished fourth in the National League West in 2023, missing the playoffs.
As for Belt, the Texas Rangers have reportedly been interested in his services this offseason. Manager Bruce Bochy managed Belt in San Francisco.
Lifetime, he's a .261 hitter with a .357 on-base percentage. He had a .369 on-base percentage in Toronto in 2023, while also hitting 19 homers.
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