The San Francisco Giants are expected to swing big this offseason as they look to get themselves back into playoff contention.

A pitch to superstar slugger Juan Soto is considered to be that first big swing, although they are not expected to end up landing him.

Assuming the Giants end up missing on Soto, there are plenty of other fallback options that they could consider.

Pete Alonso and Anthony Santander are two other free agents that the Giants have been connected to. However, there is also a potential trade target that has been linked to San Francisco.

Looking at the needs the Giants have, they could use more starting pitching, especially if Blake Snell ends up leaving town in free agency. But San Francisco could also use more offensive firepower. They need a big bat to plug into their lineup.

With that in mind, Chicago Cubs star outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger has come up as a potential option.

Zach Pressnell of Newsweek has named the Giants as one of the top potential trade suitors for Bellinger if the Cubs end up trading him. Reports have come out that Chicago would like to trade their star this offseason. With new leadership in San Francisco, after the hiring of Bustery Posey as president of baseball operations, there is a chance the former All-Star catcher would listen on a deal for the slugger.

“San Francisco has to chase the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres in its own division before it can worry about coming home with the World Series title,” Pressnell wrote. “A move for Bellinger would push the Giants in the right direction without breaking the bank.”

Bellinger would certainly be an intriguing option for San Francisco. He’s set to make $27.5 million in 2025 and then will have another choice to make before the 2026 season, as his current deal has another option year. There is a chance that he could opt into another year of his deal at $25 million.

During the 2024 MLB season, Bellinger produced lower numbers than expected. However, he dealt with some injury issues and the Cubs as a whole played under expectations.

He played in 130 total games, hitting 18 home runs to go along with 78 RBI. Bellinger also recorded a slash line of .266/.325/.426.

Just one year previously in 2023, Bellinger had a much stronger season. He hit .307/.356/.525 to go along with 26 home runs and 97 RBI. He was also named the National League Comeback Player of the Year award winner.

All of that being said, the former National League MVP would be an excellent addition for the Giants. Depending on what Chicago is asking for in return, San Francisco should strongly consider making a push to acquire him.

The San Francisco Giants are heading into free agency hoping to finally make a splash after missing out in recent years. 

It was another mediocre season for the Giants in 2024, as they finished just under .500 and hovered around that record for most of the year. Besides a couple of outlier years, San Francisco has struggled for most of the decade. 

Now, former catcher Buster Posey has taken over as president of baseball operations, and hopes to change the trajectory of the franchise. 

Over the past few winters, the Giants have consistently missed out on the top free agents. The hope is that Posey will bring some credibility to San Francisco and help convince free agents to come. 

Heading into the offseason, one of the most glaring needs for the Giants is to improve the offense. Recently, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report spoke about San Francisco as a good landing spot for Baltimore Orioles slugger, Anthony Santander. 

While the Giants play in one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in the league, their lack of power has really held the team back. San Francisco has not had a home run hitter since Barry Bonds, who was the last Giants player to hit 30 home runs for the team — back in 2024.

The Giants have swung and missed on top free agents like Giancarlo Stanton, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani in recent years. An agreement with infielder Carlos Correa went up in smoke after his physical revealed a concerning injury and nixed that deal.

Santander is in the superstar category. But, last year with the Orioles was able to total 44 home runs and 102 RBIs. 

That type of offensive production is exactly what San Francisco needs in the middle of the order, as he would pair nice with Matt Chapman and Heliot Ramos in the lineup. Also, he would provide the Giants with a switch hitter to help diversify their lineup. 

In the spacious outfield of San Francisco, Santander might be a tad exposed defensively, but he could slide into the designated hitter slot a majority of the time. Santander usually played right field in Baltimore.

While the Giants want to bring in some good talent, they are also trying to build sustainable success for the future. 

Adding a player the caliber of Santander would fix one problems in the lineup for San Francisco, but more work would still need to be done. 

A cadre of 10 juvenile delinquents — including a 12-year-old — were arrested for allegedly committing nearly two dozen retail thefts in San Francisco, racking up $84,000 in stolen merchandise during the spree, according to police.

The pint-sized punks had been causing mayhem across the city by the bay for months — with police linking them to a string of robberies that began back in August, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, citing cops.

The San Francisco Police Department was able to tie the members of the group — which includes an 18-year-old, one 12-year-old, three 14-year-olds, and three 15-year-olds — to robberies that mostly targeted pharmacy chains, the outlet reported.

The Burglary and Organized Crime Unit first noticed a pattern when a group allegedly turned-over a Walgreens on Sept. 23, which included a violent assault on an employee, the Chronicle reported.

That worker suffered “a serious head injury,” according to SFPD.

Investigators were then able to connect the group to several other similar smash-and-grabs.

In one robbery on Sept. 29, some in the group robbed a store on Castro Street of $15,000 in merchandise. A couple hours later, the group returned for another raid and pilfered $12,000 more in goods, according to the Chronicle.

Officials say the group is also linked to some higher-profile incidents.

In a Sept. 9 incident, one of the 14-year-olds flashed a gun at a store security guard at a shop on Mission Street as the group stole a cash register, cops say. That bad seed faces an assault with a deadly weapons charge.

Cops say a pair of the ne’er-do-wells — a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old — are responsible for a carjacking that took place on Nov. 5.

The 12-year-old is facing a slew of charges including assault likely to produce great bodily injury, three counts of second-degree robbery, seven counts of second-degree burglary, seven counts of grand theft, 10 counts of organized retail theft, and four counts of petty theft.

Brandon McClain, 18, is charged with four counts of second degree burglary, four counts of grand theft, and four counts of organized retail theft. 

McClain is being held without bail, according to the Chronicle.