NL West: San Francisco Giants sign slugger Jorge Soler to 3-year deal
Feb 13, 2024, 5:24 PM
PHOENIX (AP) — The San Francisco Giants and slugger Jorge Soler agreed to a $42 million, three-year deal on Tuesday, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations, taking one of the remaining marquee free agents off the market as most of the 30 teams reported for spring training in Arizona and Florida.
San Francisco President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi was still hopeful of upgrading his roster ahead of the start of spring training this week and will have a slugger to give new manager Bob Melvin more depth in the outfield.
But there’s still plenty of talent available — especially considering its mid-February.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, lefty Jordan Montgomery, third baseman Matt Chapman, slugger J.D. Martinez and former MVP Cody Bellinger are all still looking for homes as camps got underway.
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Eighteen teams start workouts on Wednesday and the final 10 begin Thursday. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres began early because of their March 20 opener at Seoul, South Korea.
Soler provides the Giants with a formidable power threat. He made his first All-Star team with the Marlins last season, hitting .250 with 36 homers, and led the American League with 48 homers in 2019 while with the Royals.
The well-traveled Cuban was the 2021 World Series MVP for the Atlanta Braves after hitting .300 with three homers.
Soler played 137 games for the Marlins last season, spending 102 games as DH.
The games played were third-most in his 10-year big league career with the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City, Atlanta and the Marlins. He appeared in all 162 games for the Royals in 2019, then 149 during with Kansas City and the Braves in 2021.
San Francisco also acquired infielder/outfielder Otto López from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash. He had been designated for assignment Friday. San Francisco designated outfielder T.J. Hopkins for assignment to clear roster room for López.
San Francisco hopes to contend in the NL West after hiring Melvin from division rival San Diego to replace Gabe Kapler following two straight years missing the playoffs. The Giants won a franchise-record 107 games and the division crown in 2021.
