Report: Giants to meet with Juan Soto considered ‘legitimate’ suitors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Hot skillet season is here and rumors linking the Giants to star free agents will be rife in the weeks to come.
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. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Monday.
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, according to Heyman.
Heyman also highlighted the Giants’ desire to sign a big-name superstar via free agency in recent seasons, while adding that San Francisco is a “legitimate” competitor for Soto’s services.
While the giants should reduce their payroll for the 2025 MLB season, exceptions could possibly be made to make way for a player of Soto’s caliber.
Soto has already shared his excitement about experiencing free agencytelling reporters about his desire to test the market after the Yankees lost Game 5 of the World Series to the Dodgers.
“It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be a good experience,” Soto said. “I think every major league player wants to experience what it’s going to be like, free agency. So, it’s exciting to see how it’s going to play out.”
Soto earned his fourth MLB All-Star selection during the 2024 season, hitting .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs during a remarkable campaign.
The left-handed hitter also knows not only the Giants, but the rest of the NL West after an extended stint with the San Diego Padres from 2022-2023.
San Francisco hasn’t had a 30-homer hitter since 2004, with Soto providing the rare opportunity to land a high-end power bat that the Giants have sorely lacked for two decades.
It remains to be seen whether San Francisco will strongly pursue Soto, but for now, the Giants appear to be right in the thick of the race for the superstar outfielder.