Three San Francisco Giants immediately elect free agency this offseason

The San Francisco Giants finished the season with success, but ultimately missed the playoffs for the third year in a row. They brought in several free agents before the season, including a six-year deal for Jung Hoo Lee and later signing Matt Chapman to a big extension. Now they will look to bring back Blake Snell, among other big free agents.

Before that, however, it must be clarified who will be eliminated before the 2025 season. And there have already been three players who have opted for free agency.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, players left off a team's 40-man roster can elect free agency before the end of the World Series and have “the requisite service time and/or multiple career outrights necessary to to achieve free agency.”

This is the case with the three players who opted for free agency.

The biggest of these from the Giants perspective is Thairo Estrada.

Estrada had been a member of San Francisco since 2021 when he was acquired from the New York Yankees. Estrada was an everyday player in 2022 and 2023, but struggled with injuries last season and played in just 96 games. He posted a .590 OPS with nine home runs and 47 RBIs before being placed on waivers and sent straight to Triple-A Sacramento.

Even after a tough year on the field, Estrada will be a big loss in the clubhouse. He was the 2023 Willie Mac Award winner, meaning he was a great leader for the team.

If healthy, he could be a valuable asset to a team as a tough infielder. It's not out of the question that the Giants bring him back, but that remains to be seen.

The other players who opted for free agency were Jakson Reetz and Andrew Knapp, both catchers.

Knapp was released by the Texas Rangers in August and later signed with San Francisco. He only played three games in which he went 1-6.

Reetz was signed before the season but didn't get much playing time. In six games, Reetz went 2-for-14 with a home run and a double.

The likely reason the two catchers decided to hit free agency is the catching situation in San Francisco. Before 2024, the Giants signed Tom Murphy to a two-year contract. The veteran was placed on the 60-day injured list but will be Patrick Bailey's backup in 2025.

San Francisco is in for a tumultuous offseason, and after signing Buster Posey, these free agents are just the beginning.