There is one MLB free agent that has strong ties to the Giants, and it wouldn't come as a surprise if he landed in San Francisco this winter.
Veteran starting pitcher Max Scherzer will become a free agent after his one season with the Toronto Blue Jays, and The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported in his latest column that some anticipate the 41-year-old signing with San Francisco.
"Some in the industry expect Scherzer to land with the San Francisco Giants, reuniting with new manager Tony Vitello, his pitching coach at Missouri in the mid-2000s," Rosenthal wrote. "A return to Toronto also might be an option. Scherzer, like virtually all of the Blue Jays, speaks with great fondness about the unique bonds the players and their families forged last season."
In 17 starts for the American League pennant-winning Blue Jays, Scherzer posted a 5.19 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 23 walks in 85 innings pitched. The three-time Cy Young Award winner then played a key role in Toronto's rotation throughout the MLB playoffs, posting a 3.77 ERA in 14 1/3 innings pitched.
Scherzer, similar to fellow future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander, who the Giants signed to a one-year contract last offseason, likely will command another one-year deal this winter.
If the Giants once again are looking to add another veteran presence to their rotation, perhaps Scherzer makes the most sense.
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