Outfielder Mitch Haniger returned to the Seattle Mariners when he was acquired from the San Francisco Giants on Friday with right-hander Anthony DeSclafani and $6 million for left-hander Robbie Ray in a trade of underperforming players coming off injuries. Haniger was with the Mariners from 2017-22, then left to sign a $43.5 million, three-year contract with the Giants.

It's two-way player Reggie Crawford, who has been voted as the No. 8 prospect in the system, rising one spot from his placement on last year's list. Crawford is full of potential, but it's impossible (even more so than with most players) to project what the future has in store for him. The team's first-round pick in 2022, Crawford — who just turned 23 — is one of the most eye-opening athletes in the system, as he both looks and moves like a middle linebacker.

After a 101-win season and an NL West title in 2021, the San Francisco Giants have come back down to earth over the last two years. The Giants have played .500 ball since that impressive season, and that regression was enough to cost manager Gabe Kapler his job. Bob Melvin is the new skipper in the Bay Area, and the expectation was that the club would be big spenders in free agency.

The race to sign Japanese star Shōta Imanaga is reportedly down to four teams. Per Jim Bowden of CBS Sports HQ and MLB Network Radio, the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels are the finalists for the left-handed pitcher. The clock is ticking for Imanaga to make a decision because his 45-day posting window is set to expire on Jan. 11.

It has been a very quiet few weeks for the Giants. The only thing of note that they've done since making a splash with Jung Hoo Lee is sign backup catcher Tom Murphy. A quick glance at their transactions page shows that their last official move was all the way back on December 26, when they re-signed Yoshi Tsutsugo to a Minor League deal ... a contract that was reported months ago. All of baseball has been quiet since Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers four days before Christmas.

While the Giants whiffed on stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in MLB free agency, San Francisco might utilize the trade market to address the team's needs. In a conversation with The Athletic's Tim Kawakami on "The TK Show" podcast, Zaidi explained why he's reluctant to offer Harrison in trade talks.

Six pitches into the 2023 season, Logan Webb and the San Francisco Giants were in a hole. A sinker straying over the middle of the plate to Aaron Judge is always going to sting, but it certainly hurt worse considering only three months previous, Judge, the in-vogue free agent, leveraged the Giants' interest to sweeten New York's, a nine-year, $360 million contract that would keep the Fresno-native in pinstripes for life. San Francisco spurned in the offseason, burned Opening Day. A tasty headline that told only part of the story: Webb K'ed Judge in his next two at-bats on his way to a season high 12 strikeouts.

The Cincinnati Reds announced a series of roster moves on Thursday, including details on a trade that sent outfielder T.J. Hopkins to the San Francisco Giants. According to the Reds, the team will receive cash considerations to complete the trade of Hopkins on Dec. 19. Drafted by the Reds in the ninth round of the 2019 draft out of South Carolina, Hopkins made his major league debut this past season and played in 25 games for the Reds in June and August, primarily in the corner outfield or as a pinch runner.

As the Giants consistently have come up short in the bidding for MLB's top free agents, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi is looking to the trade market to improve the roster. In a conversation with The Athletic's Tim Kawakami on "The TK Show" podcast, Zaidi outlined two positions where San Francisco wants to add depth. “Yeah, we're definitely evaluating that [trade] avenue,” Zaidi told Kawakami. In 2016, a then-16-year-old Luciano signed with the Giants out of the Dominican Republic for $2.6 million.

Six weeks before pitchers and catchers report and what we're hearing about free-agents who our San Francisco Giants might be signing is  – crickets. Call me a nut, but the prospect of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman batting in front and maybe behind Ohtani, could mean he won't be walked 200 times.

The MLB offseason has calmed down a bit with the big superstars off the board. The San Francisco Giants have made a few signings, including South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, but they might not be done. Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi joined Tim Kawakami on the Audacy podcast “The TK Show” and revealed what San Francisco's next moves might be this offseason. “I think all organizations are kind of taking a breath, trying to evaluate what they have internally, trying to evaluate their younger options versus what might be available in free agency,” Zaidi said (4:20 in player above).

With six weeks until pitchers and catchers report, more than half of MLB Trade Rumors' Top 50 free agents are still available. Only six teams have spent $100 million or more so far this winter, the Giants among them, allocating $121.25 million to Jung Hoo Lee and Tom Murphy. Although the front office struck out on its two top targets in the worst possible way — with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto teaming up on the archrival Dodgers — the offseason hasn't been a total dud for Farhan Zaidi and his crew.

Farhan Zaidi accepts responsibility for the Giants' inability to recruit top free agents.

There's no question that the San Francisco Giants are willing to splash the cash to improve the team to try and compete with the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves for National League supremacy. The Giants were reportedly willing to match the contract that Shohei Ohtani eventually signed with the Dodgers — that's how willing they were to break the bank.

Korean pitcher Go Woo-suk has signed with the San Diego Padres on a two-year deal, the club announced Wednesday. Go, 25, will reportedly earn $4.5 million, according to an X post from New York Post columnist Joel Sherman. The Padres have not confirmed the figure, but did confirm that there is a mutual option to extend the deal for the 2026 season. Go was the KBO-winning LG Twins' final pitcher on the mound during Game 5 of last year's historic Korean Series.

New San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt won't have a traditional bench coach on his staff but will utilize the input of several coaches during games.

New San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt won't have a traditional bench coach on his staff but will utilize the input of several coaches during games. The Padres unveiled the full staff Wednesday, including new hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, who spent the previous six seasons as assistant hitting coach for the Cleveland Guardians.