The Giants made a few crucial signings that barely beat the collective bargaining agreement's expiration at the start of December and they weren't the only ones.
We've gotten used big named free-agents waiting things out over the past few years. Bryce Harper didn't pick his new home until a few days before spring training in 2019. This year however, players signed with much more urgency as both organizations and upper-echelon free agents wanted to have as much clarity as possible before the impending work stoppage.
Gone are the top free agent starting pitchers, including Max Scherzer, Kevin Gausman, Robbie Ray and Marcus Stroman.