MLB Rumors: Giants Getting Bad Rep For "Misuse Of Free Agent Pitchers"

The San Francisco Giants are facing growing criticism and a tarnished reputation within MLB due to their recent mishandling of free agent pitchers.

Notable instances include Alex Wood, Sean Manaea, and Ross Stripling, who struggled during the season and were subsequently demoted to bulk relief roles, a move viewed as unconventional and hasty by many within the league, according to The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly.

Things are not going well for old friend Gabe Kapler:

“Some industry insiders believe the Giants have "damaged" their reputation on the free-agent pitching market -- mainly because of how they handled early struggles from Alex Wood, Sean Manaea and Ross Stripling this season”. pic.twitter.com/z9x4Z7zDPS
— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) September 25, 2023

The team's approach of seemingly giving up on free agent signings when they encounter challenges has raised concerns and added significant pressure on these players, making them feel the need to meet maybe unrealistically high-performance standards to secure their roster spot.

Furthermore, the Giants' treatment of outfielder Mitch Haniger, who received a substantial contract last offseason, has also come under scrutiny.

Haniger's playing time was abruptly reduced after an injury-related decline in performance.

There could certainly be some concern around baseball with how Alex Wood, Sean Manaea, or Ross Stripling were handled this season. That said, they have all had their fair share of struggles (Manaea has been better lately) this year and the Giants have had to navigate... https://t.co/pnY9f6L6wm
— Jeff Young (@BaseballJeff1) September 25, 2023

This pattern of handling free agent signings has led to doubts about the Giants' ability to "cultivate trust" with potential signings in the future, potentially deterring marquee pitcher targets and other players from considering San Francisco as their next destination, as Baggarly put it.

As the Giants continue their pursuit of top-tier free agent talent in upcoming offseasons, their reputation for player management and their atypical usage patterns could prove to be obstacles in their quest to attract and retain top MLB talent.

Building trust with players and showing patience during challenging times will be key for the team to maintain its appeal within the competitive MLB market. Photo Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports