Giants could target former Cy Young this winter if current ace walks

The San Francisco Giants are hanging around in the National League Wild Card race, sitting four games back of the final spot with just over a month to go in the regular season.

They've been buoyed by the resurgence of left-hander and reigning Cy Young Blake Snell, though he is expected to opt out and return to free agency.

But even if San Francisco loses Snell, there could be another option waiting for them that could help them bolster their starting rotation.

"Corbin Burnes won the National League Cy Young Award with the Brewers in 2021 and now has a chance to join the shortlist of pitchers who have won a Cy Young in both leagues," Jim Bowden wrote in The Athletic . "Burnes will be the most sought-after pitcher in this free-agent class."

Signing Burnes will be no easy task for the Giants, though they have proven that they are willing to sign big-name players and build a winning ballclub. The Snell signing was a perfect example of this.

Of course, it's likely that Burnes receives a massive contract with his new team, and the Giants are going to have significant competition for him if they try to sign him.

Other big-market teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees will certainly be in the mix for the veteran right-hander.

But Burnes would significantly boost San Francisco's rotation if they do indeed sign him. He and Logan Webb would give them a devastating one-two punch at the top, and if they add the proper pieces around them, 2025 could be an interesting year for them.

We'll see if San Francisco makes an attempt to sign Burnes.

More MLB: Giants ace will exercise opt-out clause, return to free agency this winter