Jorge Soler, Giants agree to three-year deal
Free agent outfielder Jorge Soler has agreed to a three-year deal with the San Francisco Giants, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle was first to report Tuesday morning. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was among the first to report that Soler’s three-year deal will be worth $42 million ($14M AAV). He opted out of $13 million with the Miami Marlins ahead of in free agency.
Soler, 31, is one of the best power bats on the free-agent market. He homered 36 times in his second-and-final season with the Marlins in 2023, slashing .250/.341/.512 with 24 doubles, 75 RBIs and 141 strikeouts to 66 walks. He won the World Series MVP with the Atlanta Braves in 2021, sporting a 1.191 OPS with three home runs and six RBIs over six games against the Houston Astros.
While Miami ranked in the bottom-half in wRC+ (94) and total offensive value, he was one of their biggest sources of consistent production offensively outside of Luis Arraez, who won the NL Batting Title, and Jake Burger, who it acquired at the trade deadline. According to Baseball Savant, he graded in the 80th percentile or better in walk rate (83rd), hard-hit percentage (84th), barrel percentage (91st), average exit velocity (81st), expected slugging percentage (94) and expected weighted on-base average (93rd).
The Boston Red Sox had interest in signing Soler earlier this offseason, as did the Nationals (one of the worst teams in the NL) and the Marlins, even if a reunion didn’t hold much weight.
The Giants were in desperate need of a middle-of-the-order power bat. They were No. 19 in home runs (174) and tied with the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics in home run rate (2.9 HR%). Their best power bats before this move were LaMonte Wade, who had 17 home runs with a 119 OPS+ in 135 games, and Michael Conforto, who had 15 home runs with a 99 OPS+ in 125 games.
Soler should fill in amicably for Joc Pederson as their designated hitter, who signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks in late January. After owning the 12th-highest payroll last year, the Giants are currently No. 14 in payroll–sandwiched in-between two NL West rivals in the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants, per Spotrac.
Are the Giants done making moves? Let us know in the comments!
***
SUBSCRIBE to the Vendetta YouTube Channel!
SHOP for Vendetta Merch!
SUPPORT Vendetta on Patreon!
Click here for more MLB
