The Giants are surveying both the free-agent and trade markets in search of roster upgrades this offseason.
After signing shortstop Willy Adames to a franchise-record seven-year, $182 million contract, San Francisco has its eyes on another big bat for the middle of the order.
The Giants, along with the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs, are one of the teams "involved in talks" with the Houston Astros for outfielder Kyle Tucker, the New York Post's Joel Sherman reported Wednesday.
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Tucker, 27, widely is regarded as one of the game's best power hitters and one of the best overall players.
In three seasons from 2021-2023, before his 2024 season was cut short due to a shin contusion, Tucker averaged nearly 30 home runs and 103 RBI per campaign while posting an OPS+ of 147, 129 and 142 respectively in those three seasons.
Tucker is a career .274/.353/.516 hitter who is a three-time MLB All-Star and has won both Gold Glove (2022) and Silver Slugger (2023) awards.
That begs the question: Why would the Astros, a perennial World Series contender, want to trade perhaps their best player?
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Tucker is in the final year of his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, and as Sherman points out, is poised to land a megadeal that could eclipse $300- or even $400 million next winter. That might be a price Houston is not willing to pay, which is why they could be open to moving him now and receiving something in return.
Sherman also reported that the Astros are prioritizing major-league-ready corner infielders and starting pitching in any return for Tucker, a possible indication they are preparing to lose free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman. San Francisco has an abundance of young starters, but might not have the obvious top-end infield prospects, outside of top prospect and first baseman Bryce Eldridge.
It remains to be seen how motivated the Astros are to move Tucker, but it appears the Giants at least have interest in the slugging outfielder.
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