Giants spurned by 6x All-Star in free agency before signing Jorge Soler

Last week, the San Francisco Giants agreed to terms with outfielder Jorge Soler on a three-year/$42 million deal.

But the Giants reportedly could have had six-time MLB All-Star JD Martinez.

The Giants reportedly made an offer to Martinez but were rebuffed, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post:

“Before the Giants signed Jorge Soler, they made an offer to J.D. Martinez. Word is the ex-Dodger didn’t want to go there. The Rangers are a potential fit for Martinez. …”

Martinez turning down the Giants is interesting, as he is still a free agent with Spring Training underway. Martinez just came off a solid year with the Dodgers. In 2023, Martinez hit 271/.321/.572 with 33 home runs and 103 RBIs through 113 games and 479 plate appearances. Like fellow unemployed hitter Cody Bellinger, it appears that teams are unwilling to commit to Martinez’s asking price at the moment. That said, there are at least six teams said to have shown interest in adding Martinez.

As for the player the Giants actually acquired, Soler hit with a lot of power in the 2023 season, finishing the campaign with 36 home runs and 75 runs batted in. He also had 126 hits with Miami last year. That was the best season the outfielder had since he was a member of the Kansas City Royals back in 2019.

The Giants are hoping that Soler continues his productive offense. The team finished 19th last season in home runs and 27th in slugging percentage, per ESPN. The Giants are adding more pop to their lineup with offseason moves, as the team also signed Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee this offseason. The Giants are clearly hoping that power can help them get back to the World Series. The franchise hasn’t won a Major League Baseball championship since 2014.