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The San Francisco Giants could soon make one more move in free agency ahead of opening day. As of February 19, the team’s starting lineup is seemingly set. The recent acquisitions of Luis Arraez and Harrison Bader fill San Francisco’s two biggest holes in the field. Arraez should add some much-needed offense at second base, while Bader will boost the club’s outfield defense.

Giants manager Tony Vitello likely has a good idea of his lineup for the first game of the season. According to Bleacher Report, Jung Hoo Lee, Heliot Ramos, and Bader are expected to be starters in the outfield. Rookie Bryce Eldridge, on the other hand, will likely be the designated hitter.

Despite the Bader signing, the Giants’ outfield is not exactly top-tiered. Because of this, Vitello may very well still want to add some depth. While the starters are set, San Francisco should be looking to grab one more player to be utilized as an extra outfielder/DH.

Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer has now named San Francisco as the best fit for free agent veteran Starling Marte. The DH/outfielder is currently without a team after spending the last four seasons with the New York Mets. He initially signed on with the National League East team as a regular starter. Although he made the All-Star team in his first campaign in New York, Marte was eventually relegated to a part-time player.

Starling Marte Would Bring Much-Needed Pop to San Francisco Giants Lineup

GettyStarling Marte still produces at the plate against left-handed pitchers.

Marte’s diminished role with the Mets does not necessarily mean that he could not still be a useful Major League player. The 37-year-old veteran still recorded respectable numbers at the plate in 2025. In fact, Marte posted a .270 batting average, .410 slugging, .745 OPS, and 111 OPS+ during the most recent season. To put it in perspective, all of these particular figures topped Lee and Ramos in 2025.

Marte specifically excelled against left-handed pitching with the Mets. As Rymer points out, the slugger had a .781 OPS against southpaws over the last two combined campaigns. As a team, the Giants recorded a .635 OPS against lefties in 2025. This particular statistic ranked 29th in the league. Overall, San Francisco posted a .697 OPS on the season, well below the MLB average.

The addition of Bader would also not necessarily affect the team’s potential interest in Marte. While he previously began his career mostly in center field, Marte has since collected more playing time in the corner outfield spots. The veteran could fill in for Lee or Ramos at times, or even as a designated hitter.

Giants are not Known for Their Offense at Current Stadium

Signing Marte may not exactly put the Giants over the hump in the National League West. It could, however, be a smart signing to help round out the team’s roster. Oracle Park is widely viewed as one of the toughest stadiums for MLB hitters, yet Marte has fared well at the field. In his last five games in San Francisco, the slugger racked up nine hits in 14 at-bats (.643 batting average).

It could not hurt the Giants to bring in more offense. The team ranked 17th in the league in runs and 19th in home runs during the 2025 season.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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