In December, the San Francisco Giants improved their outfield defense by signing KBO standout Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million contract. They also checked in on standout defensive outfielder Kevin Kiermaier before he returned to the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com.
SF Giants checked in on elite defensive outfielder before he returned to Toronto
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs also checked in on Kiermaier. The Blue Jays signed the veteran outfielder to a one-year, $10.5 million contract near the end of December.
Morosi does not say whether the Giants expressed interest following Lee’s signing. It is likely to have happened before that, but the Giants might have strengthened their outfield defense by signing both Lee and Kiermaier in the same offseason. This is especially significant given that Kiermaier signed a fairly inexpensive contract following a successful 2023 season.
In recent seasons, the Giants have struggled with their outfield defense. The Giants’ outfielders had -13 Outs Above Average (OAA), which was 27th in MLB, and -7 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), which was 22nd. Regardless of the criteria used, they were well below average as a whole last season.
Adding Kiermaier would have gone a long way in helping San Francisco right that ship. The front office could have really made team defense a strength in 2024. While it has been upgraded this season, it could have truly been a strength of the roster.
The 33-year-old outfielder is coming off a season in which he hit.265/.322/.419 (104 OPS+) with eight home runs, 36 RBI, and 58 runs across 408 plate appearances. Anything he contributes on offense is a bonus, but he continued to shine defensively, recording +18 DRS and +13 OAA in center field and winning his fourth AL Gold Glove award.
Keirmaier isn’t the only glove-first outfielder the Giants targeted this winter. They were apparently linked to Harrison Bader before he signed with the New York Mets on a one-year deal. It is evident that the Giants emphasized outfield defense during free agency.
For what it is worth, Kiermaier is happy to return to the Blue Jays. It felt like a natural landing spot, but the 11-year veteran had several interested suitors before he decided to remain in Toronto.
