The MLB offseason has really started gaining some steam the last week or so, as the top starter has been taken on the market and a blockbuster trade shook up the NL West. I expect the Giants to get into the action by the time the winter meetings wind up.

The big signing thus far has been Patrick Corbin heading east to the Nationals on a 6-year, $140M deal, which is a huge sum for a guy who really is a #2 or #3 starting pitcher on a good staff. This has significance for the Giants because of the Madison Bumgarner rumblings and what this deal does to a possible asking price the Giants would seek in a potential Bumgarner deal. Coming into the offseason I wasn't completely opposed to dealing Bumgarner, but I thought the best time to do so, if they were to go that route, would be at the deadline next season. That's when teams that think they're that one big starter away from a World Series run will pay the extra player or two in order to obtain a player of Bumgarner's talent and postseason history. However, if middle rotation pitchers are going to be getting close to $25M a year this winter, then Bumgarner's value may be at an all time high at this very moment.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate and admire what Bumgarner's done for this club as much as anybody. In a perfect world, the Giants would be closer to being competitive than they currently and this really wouldn't be a topic, but the fact is the team is at a crossroads. Bumgarner is only 29 years old, but he's had a lot of wear and tear on that left arm and has had a couple of bad injuries. Who knows how well he'll hold up into his mid-30's which is where his next deal will take him. Plus, if he can help them fill a few of their many needs with some above average talent and/or potential, they have to consider it. The Phillies are said to be interested and would seem like a good fit with their young pitching and outfield depth. If the Giants could finagle a package of Odubel Herrera, Nick Williams and Nick Pivetta from Philly and send back Bumgarner, I'd pull the trigger in a second. That would be two solid starting outfielders with some experience but not even near their prime yet, and a young arm with strikeout stuff who showed some signs of putting it together last year. The Phillies are going to spend money this winter so they could easily sign another outfielder or two to take those guys' place and Bumgarner along with Aaron Nola would give Philly a 1-2 punch that would rival any in the league.

Anyway, even with Corbin getting that huge deal, I would be surprised if the Giants dealt Bumgarner this winter unless the Giants are blown out of the water with an offer like I suggested above.

Other than the Bumgarner rumors, some actual player movement has taken place for the Giants as they surprisingly let go of a couple of players in Hunter Strickland and Gorkys Hernandez while retaining Sam Dyson and Joe Panik. I didn't expect Strickland to be back with the Giants next year but I'm a little surprised they didn't offer him a contract and then deal. As far as Hernandez, he was the Giants most consistent outfielder in 2018, which really says more about the lack of talent they had there rather than Hernadez's mediocre season, but he still makes sense as at least a 5th outfielder.

Those marked the first actual moves of the Zaidi Farhan and obviously this guy has a plan. It should be very interesting to see how it unfolds in the coming weeks.