It was a big day in baseball as option and qualifying decisions were due, and it was the official start of full free agency. For the San Francisco Giants, on account of them giving out so many short-term deals with options in recent seasons, were among the most interesting teams to watch today. When all and said and done, the final tally was that Michael Conforto opted to return for one year and $18M, Sean Manaea opted out of 1/$12.5M, Ross Stripling opted to return for 1/$12.5M, and the Giants decided to bring back Alex Cobb for $10M in lieu of a $2M buyout.

The most borderline and potentially consequential decision was Conforto's. At $18M, it's a hefty price to pay given the very pedestrian season he just had. The SF Giants have also expressed interest in improving their outfield, which becomes all the more difficult with Conforto, Mitch Haniger, Mike Yastrzemski, Austin Slater, Luis Matos, Tyler Fitzgerald, and others all in the mix going into 2023.

Manaea's decision to opt out may have surprised some, but it wasn't really all that surprising given his excellent performance after a rough first month-plus of the 2023 season. Stripling, on the other hand, never turned things around after a slow start and his choice to opt in was inevitable. The Giants' decision to retain Cobb on what was effectively an $8M decision was made a bit less clear when it was announced that Cobb underwent hip surgery that will sideline him for at least around six months. The Giants' overall commitments and payroll situation are now relatively clear, and those figures are discussed at length on today's show.

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

Follow Ben Kaspick on X, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.

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