Giants to Reportedly Chase Yasiel Puig as Soon as Signing Freeze is Lifted
By Jerry Trotta
Get excited, baseball fans, because we could be headed towards our first non-Draft player transaction for the first time since the freeze was instituted in late March.
According to MLB insider Jim Bowden, the San Francisco Giants are expected to be major players in the Yasiel Puig sweepstakes as soon as the temporary ban on additions is lifted on Friday.
#Giants expecting to be players for outfielder Yasiel Puig as soon as freeze is lifted according to sources close to the #Giants front office.
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenGM) June 24, 2020
This rumor makes sense, as the Giants were linked with Puig long before the start of the 2020 season was delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak. At that time, the 29-year-old outfielder was one of the biggest free agents remaining, so we can expect him to have a sizable market now that terms of the campaign have been finalized.
Last year, Puig hit 267/.327/.458 with 24 home runs, 84 RBI and 30 doubles across 149 games with the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians. More notably, however, is the fact that the former All-Star has enjoyed tremendous success hitting at Oracle Park. In 191 career plate appearances, he's posted a .299/.361/.477 slash line.
With baseball back, let the hot stove heat up!
— Dodgers' Way (@DodgersWayFS) June 24, 2020
Former Dodger Yasiel Puig is expected to be pursued by the Giants once the roster freeze ends on Fridayhttps://t.co/QWsnwQUEqd
Puig potentially signing with the Giants makes for an interesting storyline, as the club used to despise him during his six-year stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2013-2018. We're not so sure that fans in the Bay Area have buried the hatchet, but it appears that San Francisco is prepared to let bygones be bygones.