After a lackluster 2024 MLB season where the Giants finished fourth in the NL West, San Francisco reportedly will take a different approach next year when it comes to the team's coffers.
Under new president of baseball operations Buster Posey, the Giants are expected to be more frugal with their spending this offseason, The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly reported in a piece published Friday, citing a league source familiar with the team's plans.
"The Giants’ adjusted payroll, which accounts for salary that is earned in a given year but not necessarily paid out, is expected to step back from the $206 million they spent last season, when they finished 80-82 while exceeding the luxury tax threshold for the first time since 2018," Baggarly wrote.
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Per Baggarly, even a "modest amount of belt-tightening" still would leave the Giants with just $30-$40 million to spend this offseason beyond players already under team control.
In addition to arbitration-eligible players Camilo Doval, Mike Yastrzemski, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Tyler Rogers, and pre-arbitration eligible players, the Giants have eight others under contract entering 2025: Robbie Ray, Jung Hoo Lee, Logan Webb, Jordan Hicks, Taylor Rogers, Wilmer Flores, Tom Murphy and Matt Chapman, who just signed a lucrative $151 million contract.
Any such budget cuts as reported by Baggarly certainly would rule San Francisco out of the Juan Soto sweepstakes this offseason, as well as the competition for free-agent ace Blake Snell, who recently opted out of his Giants contract.
Baggarly reached out to Posey by text for his story, who declined to comment and stated he "would not discuss payroll matters."
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But chairman Greg Johnson told Baggarly via text that the Giants "never have a set budget, just a fairly wide range. The end number depends on plenty of movement between trades and free agents. Our goal is to try to field the most competitive team. It’s way too early in the process to set a number. We want to make smart baseball decisions that balance the short term and long term."
It has been 10 years since the Giants' last championship season. But after falling short of expectations in 2024 despite surpassing the luxury-tax threshold, the organization appears to believe changes are necessary -- especially after operating at a loss last season, per Baggarly.
A reduced payroll in 2025 doesn't mean the Giants can't make some significant moves this offseason. Whether or not they're moves that can put San Francisco back in contention, however, remains to be seen.
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