After how 2023 ended for the Giants, it seemed likely that San Francisco would target offensive help to boost their chances of competing in 2024. The Giants did add one big bat in Jung Hoo Lee earlier in the offseason, and now Jorge Soler is set to be added to the mix.
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A Look at Soler
The 2023 campaign was arguably Jorge Soler‘s best since he belted 48 home runs as a Royal in 2019. With the Marlins, where he traditionally batted second behind Luis Arraez, Soler hit 36 home runs for the Fish and posted a .853 OPS in what was his first All-Star season.
Soler’s RBI total (75) was low but that was more of a byproduct of what the Marlins were in 2023. Last season, Soler didn’t even finish in the top 70 in plate appearances with runners in scoring position. Although, he did have a .835 OPS when there was a runner in scoring position (h/t Baseball-Reference).
An extreme pull hitter, Soler has some of the best raw power in the Majors. That plus power tool has allowed Soler to post some gaudy Statcast numbers. Just last season, Soler hit the 24th-most balls considered Barrels. However, his pull and swing tendencies do leave him vulnerable to the strikeout.
The 31-year-old also has a strong eye at the plate. Soler does have a career Chase% (25.1%) above league average, which has allowed him to routinely post BB% above 10%.
Defensively, Soler has a good arm but his below-average speed and range do make him a much better fit in the DH slot.
Per reports, Jorge Soler agreed to a three-year, $45MM deal with the Giants. That came just a day after reports indicated that Soler was looking for a three-year deal, which was believed to be a holdup to his impending signing.
We had Soler rated as the sixth-best hitter available in free agency this winter.
Analysis
The Giants have made several upgrades to their offense this winter. San Francisco picked up KBO sensation Jung Hoo Lee on a multi-year deal earlier in the offseason. Now, the Giants can add Soler to the mix.
Aside from the fact that Soler could be the first Giant to crack 30 home runs in a season since Barry Bonds in 2004 (45) — Brandon Belt, though, could have hit that mark in 2021 (29) had he played more than 97 games — the move to bring in Soler does give San Francisco some much-needed pop. Last season, the Giants finished last in the NL in SLG (.383) and fourth-worst overall.
Soler will likely be the team’s regular DH and replace now-Diamondback Joc Pederson, given his defensive inefficiencies. But with a lot of bodies in that San Francisco outfield, including Luis Matos, Michael Conforto, Mike Yastrzemski, and the aforementioned Lee, it’ll be interesting to see how new manager Bob Melvin manages his 2024 lineup.