There is no end to the surprises in the MLB, especially during the off-season. Given teams use this period to strengthen their squad, there are always talks going on between the parties. However, a few backend talks ever make it to the public space. It results in some surprising results, which the baseball world has again experienced.
Notably, the San Francisco Giants were involved in the trades and were linked to multiple players, including Shohei Ohtani. Though those deals never materialized, the former World Series champions have finally got their due with a sensational move. Reportedly, the Giants signed the South Korean outfielder, chased by multiple teams.
San Francisco Giants Sign Jung-Hoo Lee on a Multi-Year Contract
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Jung-Hoo Lee was amongst the few international players, chased by multiple teams including the San Diego Padres. However, the Giants came as winners. According to Jon Heyman, they have signed Lee on a six-year contract worth 113 million dollars.
Jung Hoo Lee to Giants. 6 years, $113M. opt out after 4 years.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 12, 2023
With this, the Giants have got a great deal that would help them achieve better results after a poor 2023 season. Notably, San Francisco finished the last season in the fourth position in the NL West. They suffered with the inconsistency and had to make changes, starting from hiring a new manager, Bob Melvin.
Interestingly, Melvin’s focus put the Giants in the mix of signing Ohtani, who eventually signed a $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But it did not let them lose focus, and they used this case to sign the sensational baseball player. With all the positives surrounding it, this move looks good.
He Is a Perfect Signing for the Giants
The 2023 season exposed the offenses of many teams. The list included the San Francisco Giants, as they finished third from the bottom in the league’s offensive charts. Notably, the Giants recorded 1271 hits while averaging 0.235 at an OPS of 0.695. It pointed out what went wrong for them on the offense. But with Jung-Hoo Lee, this is expected to change.
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Jung Hoo Lee will be fun to watch pic.twitter.com/KCI5ukAjkF
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 12, 2023
The 25-year-old had a decent record with six HRs and 48 RBIs in 86 games this 2023 season. However, an injury hampered his run, which could have been similar to his MVP season. For the record, Lee averaged 0.349 while scoring 23 HRs and 113 RBIs and was named MVP for his exploits.
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Read More:- Meet the ‘Grandson of the Wind’: A 25 YO South Korean Star Ready to Shake Up the MLB Free Agency Market
This made him a crucial figure on the team and would love to get the same place in his new team, replicating a great World Baseball Classic campaign. But given the challenge is different here, it won’t be an easy ask. Will he be able to handle this? Share your thoughts in the comments.