The San Francisco Giants are preparing for the 2024 season as they look to remain competitive in the highly competitive National League West. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi shared his ambitions to take the NL West title, despite the formidable competition from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and San Diego Padres.
In their effort to bolster the team, the Giants made a significant move by signing KBO star Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million deal. The free agent signing marks the longest contract ever for a position player in the franchise’s history. Lee’s addition is expected to bring stability to the defense, as well as add speed and athleticism to the roster.
While the acquisition of Jung Hoo Lee is a step in the right direction for the Giants, president Farhan Zaidi emphasized the need to further improve the team’s run prevention, pitching, and defense. Zaidi highlighted the importance of athleticism up the middle of the diamond, reinforcing the strength of the team’s pitching staff. The Giants are also eyeing additional starting pitchers such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Shota Imanaga as potential free-agent targets.
A priority for the Giants is to add shortstop depth to the team. However, Zaidi expressed his desire to pursue versatile players who won’t hinder prospects like Marco Luciano and Casey Schmitt from getting their opportunities in the Major League.
Looking back at the 2023 season, the Giants struggled down the stretch, finishing in fourth place in the NL West. Despite the disappointing finish, Zaidi believes that the team is not far from making a return to the playoffs. He pointed out that the team was in a playoff spot as recently as September, and with a few different outcomes, the sentiments about the team’s standing would have been different.
The Giants face stiff competition in the NL West, but Zaidi expressed confidence in the team’s potential, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming offseason as the foundation for a more positive season. The Giants are committed to building a competitive team and are dedicated to achieving their goal of winning the division.
As the Giants continue to make moves to position themselves as contenders in the NL West, baseball fans eagerly anticipate the start of the 2024 season to witness the team’s quest for success.
