The San Francisco Giants have hired slugger Jorge Soler. This is very bright news for table setter Lee Jung-hoo.
The Giants agreed to a three-year, 42 million-dollar contract with Jorge Soler, an outfielder and designated hitter from the Miami Marlins, two days before joining the team. The signing bonus is 9 million dollars. The signing bonus is a one-time payment. His name is Soler, but his name is Soler.
The signing of Solaire, a Cuban defector, greatly affects the Giants’ batting order. The Giants, who have a good table-setter, are in desperate need of a slugger and an RBI man. Rumors of the Giants’ Solaire contract have been circulating steadily since last weekend. For the Giants, if they play an injury-free role last season, they will be able to become competitive in the National League West.
Solaire, who is in his 11th year of MLB career, escaped Cuba in 2011. He made his debut with the Chicago Cubs in 2014. He has an imposing physique of 193 cm and 106 kg. However, his past 10 years have been a turbulent time compared to his performance with the Cuban junior national team and his physical conditions.
He was named an All-Star for the first time in 2023. He was the home run leader with 48 home runs in 162 games for the Kansas City Royals in 2019. In 2021, he recorded 27 arches for the KC Royals and Atlanta Braves. He was named MVP with three home runs and six RBIs when Atlanta won the World Series.
After winning the MVP award, he became a free agent and signed a three-year contract with Miami. His salary is $13 million with a 2024 player option. Soler refused and became a free agent again. This was because he hit 36 home runs, the most in his team. He is batting .250 with an OPS of 0.853.
The Giants, who acquired Lee Jung-hoo, traded for Cy Young pitcher Robbie Ray from the Seattle Mariners, and their offense was limited. Solaire was out of breath. The Giants have not had a slugger hit more than 30 home runs in a season since Barry Bonds in 2004. In short, it’s a rifle unit. Former coach Gabe Kapler insisted on the platoon system because of the rifle unit.
For the 2023 season, the Giants ranked 19th overall in the MLB with 174 team home runs. It falls short of the league’s average of 196. It’s an interesting point to see if the KBO League can make a fantastic combination with a proven table setter.