The San Francisco Giants are in the midst of a rebuild. After winning three championships in five years, they have fallen to the middle of the pack in the National League West. With players getting older, bats struggling and injuries hampering the team, competing for a division is a long-shot at best this in 2019. Even with recent struggles and development, there is a strong nucleus of talent on the roster, and a good group of bats along the way. With Bryce Harper still on the market, signing him to a long-term deal could speed up the rebuild dramatically. Harper would be the perfect fit for the Giants as he would quickly get them back to championship level.
The San Francisco Giants are a Perfect Fit for Bryce Harper
Where Will He Go?
All winter long the big story has been Harper, and where he will go. There have been rumors of him signing with the Phillies. The White Sox have been mentioned a ton. Some media once had hopes of him inking a big deal with the Yankees and playing in that outfield. Even the Padres have been said to have been in talks with him.
But as the winter has progressed and spring training nears, Harper is still on the market. With baseball ramping up again in just a few days, it appears more suitors are in on Harper. Today it was made known the Giants are one of those teams.
The #SFGiants recently met with Bryce Harper. Extent of interest on team’s part not known, but they did try hard for Stanton last winter. Multiple new teams emerged in last week or two.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 6, 2019
Not only are the Giants in on Harper, but Heyman went on to tell KNBR that Harper puts San Francisco in the “upper-echelon of places where he would like to play. Other players, like, Andrew McCutchen have noted how much they love San Francisco and the culture created by the organization. With this statement from Heyman, it appears that Harper feels the same way.
Signing Makes Sense for Present and Future
Though they are rebuilding, the signing of Harper makes sense for both parties. By signing with the Giants, Harper immediately becomes the centerpiece of the offense. Hitting in a lineup with Harper would give all-star catcher, Buster Posey, the best bat around him that he has had in his career. Harper’s power also would help to greatly upgrade power in the outfield that greatly lacks power and depth.
Though some cite Harper’s batting average as a down year last season, Harper still was highly successful all year long. He finished the season with 34 home runs, a .889 OPS and an OBP of .393 while leading the league in walks. At 26 years-old, he remains one of the best young bats in all of baseball.
Another large positive of signing Bryce Harper is that he would be part of the Giants when they are ready to make their next run. Still entering his prime, Harper makes them better for both the present and the future. With huge bats like Heliot Ramos and Joey Bart on the way, Harper would be a great cornerstone piece to help them grow.
The National League West is one of the best divisions in all of baseball. If Harper ends up in San Francisco, it becomes even stronger. The Giants have been loaded with talent for years and getting Harper gives them their next superstar to latch onto and get them back to October.
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