It was almost exactly a year ago that the San Francisco Giants signed Jung Hoo Lee to be their new center fielder. Could they be in the market at the position once again?
Lee hardly got a chance to show the Giants what he was capable of in 2024, playing in just 37 games before missing the rest of the year due to shoulder surgery. But adding a new center fielder wouldn't necessarily be an indictment on his performance, either.
The Giants need star power, and it doesn't much matter what position they can find it to fill. With the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in their division, San Francisco doesn't have the firepower to keep up with the superstars they're constantly facing.
That could bring about a blockbuster trade, and one Giants insider believes he knows the perfect candidate.
On Thursday, Grant Brisbee of The Athletic named Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. as the best position player trade target for San Francisco this winter. Robert has one year remaining on the $50 million extension he signed with Chicago, plus $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027.
"(Robert) offers dingers, speed and defense, which isn’t a combination that’s readily available. If there were ever a player for a team like the Giants to take a chance on, it’s Robert, especially with his low-risk, high-reward contract," Brisbee said.
"Robert’s arm is the weakest part of his defensive game, so there might be a way to sell Jung Hoo Lee on the idea of a move to right field, where his arm would be just as useful. (You can also convince him with the truth, which is that right field is almost as important as center field in Oracle Park.)"
2024 was a rough year for Robert, 27, who had a .657 OPS and 14 home runs in 100 games. But he's still only a year removed from a remarkable All-Star season, which included 38 home runs, 5.0 bWAR, and Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field.
Robert and Lee aren't slam dunks to be stars, but the best version of that outfield pairing would give San Francisco a puncher's chance to make the playoffs. Depending on what the White Sox are willing to settle on for Robert, they also might not have to give up the world to get him.
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