Hot stove season has arrived, and rumors connecting the Giants to star free agents will be plentiful in the coming weeks.
San Francisco is believed to be among seven teams planning trips to meet with free agent superstar Juan Soto in Southern California starting this week, The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Monday.
The other teams expected to meet with Soto are the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, per Heyman.
Heyman also noted the Giants' desire to land a big-name superstar through free agency in recent seasons, while also adding San Francisco is a "legit" contender for Soto's services.
While the Giants reportedly are expected to reduce their payroll for the 2025 MLB season, exceptions could potentially be made to make way for a player of Soto's caliber.
Soto already has shared his excitement to experience free agency, telling reporters about his desire to test the market following the Yankees' Game 5 World Series loss to the Dodgers.
"It's going to be exciting. It's going to be a good experience," Soto said. "I think every player in the big leagues wants to experience how it's going to be, free agency. So, exciting to see how it's going to be."
San Francisco Giants
Soto earned his fourth MLB All-Star selection during the 2024 season, hitting .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBI during a standout campaign.
The left-handed slugger also is familiar with not only the Giants, but the rest of the NL West after an extended stint with the San Diego Padres from 2022 to 2023.
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San Francisco hasn't had a 30-home run hitter since 2004, with Soto offering the rare opportunity to land a premium power bat that the Giants sorely have lacked for going on two decades.
It remains to be seen if San Francisco will heavily pursue Soto, but for now, the Giants appear to be right in the thick of the race for the superstar outfielder.
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