The MLB offseason is less than a week old, and the San Francisco Giants already made some news.
Andrew Baggarly of the Bay Area News Group noted the 2014 World Series champions declined the options on the contracts of outfielders Marlon Byrd and Nori Aoki. According to Spotrac, Byrd’s option was worth $8 million, while Baggarly said Aoki’s was worth $5.5 million, although he gets a $700,000 buyout.
Baggarly also pointed out Aoki is cleared of concussion symptoms that bothered him this season, but it is “tough” for general manager Robert Evans to commit the money this early in the offseason. The writer offered his take on the situation and the team’s mindset with the decisions:
Byrd played 39 games for the Giants after they acquired him from the Cincinnati Reds for a potential postseason push. He hit .272 with four home runs and 31 RBI and finished with 23 long balls in 2015. It marked the third consecutive season he topped the 20-homer mark.
Even at age 38, Byrd provides power in the middle of the order, although he is an average defender at this stage of his career. According to Fangraphs, he accounted for one total defensive run saved above average this season, and it is logical to assume his range will decrease as he continues to age.
As for Aoki, he dealt with health concerns throughout the 2015 campaign and only played 93 games. He still stole 14 bases and tallied a .353 on-base percentage, which put him in impressive company, as Matthew Pouliot of Rotoworld.com highlighted:
While Aoki gets on base as a speed threat at the top of the order (he has 81 steals the last four years), his defense is inadequate in the outfield. According to Fangraphs, he posted a minus-one total defensive run saved above average in 2015 and a minus-eight total defensive runs saved above average in 2014 as a member of the Kansas City Royals.
These are two veterans on the wrong side of 30 (Aoki is 33) who bring plenty to the table on offense but not as much on defense. With the entire offseason ahead of them, the Giants elected to keep their options open.
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