The San Francisco Giants make the right decision and let their top free agent go

Free agency has started with a bang for the San Francisco Giants as they recently saw their top free agent move to their arch-rival.

Going into the offseason, the Giants knew they had a lot of work to do. With Buster Posey as the new president of baseball operations, the goal is to improve a franchise that has missed the playoffs three straight seasons and fallen behind in the National League West.

One player that San Francisco knew would be a highly coveted player on their team in 2024 was starter Blake Snell. The Giants were able to sign the two-time Cy Young Award winner to a very amicable contract just before spring training last season.

However, the southpaw had a really bad start to the season, likely due to the strange offseason and lack of preparation. After the All-Star break, as he bounced back, Snell became the pitcher the Giants expected him to be, as he posted a (5-0) record and an ERA under 2.00 in the second half of the season .

With a player option for 2025, Snell wisely declined after the great second half, knowing he would get more guaranteed money in free agency.

Well, that decision paid off as Snell signed a five-year, $182 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Signing the 31-year-old to the Dodgers is certainly a tough pill for the Giants to swallow, but letting him go might be the best thing for them.

Although the Giants are hoping for a quick turnaround with Posey at the helm, it’s still unlikely. It could be a process of a few years before they get the team ready to truly compete with a team like the Dodgers or San Diego Padres. While Snell is a great pitcher and would help them win games, this is a team that needs a lot more.

If the Giants were to return Snell to the number he signed with Los Angeles, it likely would have meant they would have made minimal improvements to a lineup that desperately needs improvement.

Plus, the Dodgers’ move to bring in Snell and pay them what they’re paying him should help them win more World Series now. That most likely wouldn’t have been realistic for San Francisco, and if they were willing to do that, the left-hander might no longer have the same caliber of pitcher.

While it may feel like a tough blow for the Giants, allocating their resources to the right areas could be best for them in the long run.