Humiliating. Disappointing. Tragic. Any of these adjectives could be used to describe the Giants’ offseason, a comedy of errors that went from bad to worse when Carlos Correa left them at the altar, signing a 12-year deal with the Mets hours after a problem arose with his physical, delaying what was supposed to be his introductory press conference. Remarkably, that’s not even the worst heartbreak the Giants have suffered this offseason, experiencing a similar nightmare with Aaron Judge, who Jon Heyman reported was headed to San Francisco, only to backtrack minutes later, apologizing to his Twitter followers for “jumping the gun.”
Outside of cosmetic changes (Sean Manaea, Ross Stripling and Mitch Haniger), the Giants have done little to improve their roster, an enormous letdown for a team that was poised to be a major player in the free-agent market. Though it’s probably too late to salvage what has been a catastrophic offseason, the Giants’ aggressive (albeit unsuccessful) courtships of Judge and Correa suggest they’re willing to spend big, going well into nine figures in pursuit of top-tier talent. In that sense, missing out on Judge and Correa could be a blessing in disguise, saving resources for the Giants’ inevitable run at Shohei Ohtani next winter.
Ohtani’s upcoming free agency will be unprecedented, owing to the fact that no player, at least since Babe Ruth in the early 20th century, has been as dominant in a dual-threat role, producing at an All-Star level as both a pitcher (fourth in last year’s American League Cy Young voting) and a hitter (33 HR, 95 RBI). Tired of playing for a perennial underachiever (the Angels haven’t won a playoff game since 2009), the 28-year-old seems anxious to explore free agency, and when that day comes, the Giants should have as good a chance as anyone to sign him.
The most unique player of his generation, Ohtani would be a ratings bonanza for any team lucky enough to sign him, more than offsetting his exorbitant salary (early estimates peg his next contract to be in the range of $500 million) in ticket sales, merchandise and television dollars. It remains to be seen whether the Mets will be serious contenders for Ohtani, or if they’ll sit out as a result of their recent spending spree, splurging on Correa, Justin Verlander, Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz and Kodai Senga, among other big-ticket signings. San Francisco’s proximity to Japan, at least relative to their East Coast counterparts in Boston and New York, should also give the Giants a leg up, if Ohtani values being closer to home.
Obviously a lot can change between now and next year’s free agency (assuming he opts for a change of scenery over staying with Anaheim), but the Giants are well-positioned to sign the most exciting player in baseball, which, if it came to fruition, would more than make up for dropping the ball on Judge and Correa.
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