Jorge Soler to sign 3-year deal with Giants

[Ely Sussman]

The former Marlins slugger finds a new home just in time for Spring Training.

Former Miami Marlins designated hitter Jorge Soler has agreed to a three-year deal with the San Francisco Giants, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. He is guaranteed $42M, per Mike Rodriguez.

Jorge Soler played 209 games during his two seasons in Miami, slashing .235/.325/.473 (116 wRC+) with a team-leading 49 home runs, accruing 2.3 fWAR. Soler’s Marlins deal was originally three years and $36M guaranteed, but he opted out a year early after an impressive 2023 campaign. He blasted 36 homers—the sixth-highest single-season total in franchise history—and earned his first career All-Star selection. He was particularly valuable against left-handed pitching (181 wRC+) and in clutch situations (3.03 WPA, 14th among qualified MLB hitters).

Once Soler opted out, I was adamant that the Marlins should have made him a qualifying offer ($20.325M for one year). Even with the expectation being that he would reject the offer, the club would’ve received a compensatory pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Instead, they withheld the QO and will wind up losing him for nothing.

Soler was the Marlins’ primary DH last season, accounting for 62.4% of their plate appearances at the position. As currently constructed, the club doesn’t have a default DH. Josh Bell, Luis Arraez, Jake Burger and Avisaíl García are each candidates to start there occasionally when they’re not deployed at first base, second base, third base and right field, respectively. Trey Mancini's career numbers are surprisingly comparable to Soler's, though expectations for the non-roster invitee should be tempered coming off the worst year of his career.

Soler is by far the most notable 2023 Marlin to sign elsewhere in free agency this offseason. The others include David Robertson (Texas Rangers), Joey Wendle (New York Mets), Garrett Hampson (Kansas City Royals), Dylan Floro (Washington Nationals), Jacob Stallings (Colorado Rockies), Daniel Castano (KBO’s NC Dinos), Enmanuel De Jesus (KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes) and Geoff Hartlieb (Colorado Rockies).

Once again, I'll remind you the Marlins are the lone MLB team that hasn't made any major league free agent signings this offseason.

View full article

[Brock Beauchamp]

I was starting to question whether Soler was going to get a multi-year deal in this market. Looks like his patience paid off.

[One Regend]

5 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I was starting to question whether Soler was going to get a multi-year deal in this market. Looks like his patience paid off.

Same. I honestly thought he was going to be snatched up much sooner too, as he didn't have a QO attached to him. I guess he and his agent were looking for around $50 million, and had to settle on $42 million because no team wanted to pay that much for a guy as defensively limited as he is.

[Brock Beauchamp]

30 minutes ago, One Regend said:

Same. I honestly thought he was going to be snatched up much sooner too, as he didn't have a QO attached to him. I guess he and his agent were looking for around $50 million, and had to settle on $42 million because no team wanted to pay that much for a guy as defensively limited as he is.

Yeah, flawed corner guys aren't as appealing as they used to be; look at the weird Teoscar Hernandez deal with the Dodgers. Just a weird market this year on top of that.

[Slacker Mills]

23 hours ago, One Regend said:

Same. I honestly thought he was going to be snatched up much sooner too, as he didn't have a QO attached to him. I guess he and his agent were looking for around $50 million, and had to settle on $42 million because no team wanted to pay that much for a guy as defensively limited as he is.

He would have surely taken a QO, esp. given the fact that a team would have paid him even less if they had to surrender a draft pick. Don't think the Marlins wanted to risk having to pay him over twenty million.

[Slacker Mills]

Ely, when do Arraez and Scott get moved, this week or next? I couldn't make a case for keeping either of those two and each could attract a helpful player - which would be two more than the Marlins have obtained thus far.

[One Regend]

37 minutes ago, Slacker Mills said:

Ely, when do Arraez and Scott get moved, this week or next? I couldn't make a case for keeping either of those two and each could attract a helpful player - which would be two more than the Marlins have obtained thus far.

It has to be on the Trade Deadline. The Marlins are foolish to think they're competitive with this roster, but they currently think they are.

[Brock Beauchamp]

41 minutes ago, Slacker Mills said:

Ely, when do Arraez and Scott get moved, this week or next? I couldn't make a case for keeping either of those two and each could attract a helpful player - which would be two more than the Marlins have obtained thus far.

Yuck to even the thought of trading Arraez, though you may be right in that it's the smart play at some point.