Without Pablo Sandoval, what do the Giants do now?

Even though the nearest San Francisco Giants fan might be crying into their panda hat at the moment, crushed by the news that free agent Pablo Sandoval has chosen to bolt for the Boston Red Sox, this is neither the end of the world for the Giants nor a surprising outcome.

The deal is now solid, as multiple reports say Sandoval's agent has informed the Giants about his decision to join the Red Sox. He's expected to be introduced Tuesday in Boston.

Giants fans, in fact, seemed ready to say goodbye to Sandoval at a few different points during 2014. He won their favor again with a very productive postseason, including a World Series in which he set a record for hits, thus the November free-agent frenzy. But three facts to consider: Sandoval hasn't hit .300 since 2011, hasn't driven in 80 runs in a season since 2009 and hasn't hit 20 homers since 2011.

The point: Sandoval is replaceable. At least in terms of value.

The Giants might not be able to plug a third baseman of his caliber into the lineup by this weekend, or even by opening day, but they can replace his value to the team. In 2014, Sandoval has a WAR of 3.0, according to Fangraphs, meaning his value to the Giants was three wins over a replacement-level player. That's not as bad as losing Buster Posey (5.7 WAR) or Hunter Pence (4.7 WAR).

Now, the Giants have upward of $90 million that they would have given to Sandoval to spend on the open market. Plus the Hot Stove is still piping and ready for trades. Here are five things the Giants could do now that Sandoval's out of the picture:

1. GO AFTER JON LESTER
Lester, the former Red Sox ace, is their main target after wrapping up deals with Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez. They need pitching and Lester is the commodity they know best. But Lester has also been mentioned as someone the Giants can chase now, particularly by Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, who's always in the loop. Maybe the Giants go after Lester to get back at the Red Sox and maybe because they know postseason success comes when you have great pitchers. Lester will cost more than $90 million, but the Giants aren't poor.

2. GET CUBAN OUTFIELDER YASMANY TOMAS
He's one of the last power bats left on the market, and his potential has executives gawking. We've seen Cubans come to America and shine — from Jose Abreu to Yasiel Puig and Yoenis Cespedes. Now Tomas is expected to fetch the highest contract of them all. His power has reached campfire-story level, writes Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan, and he fits a clear need for the Giants. He can play left field. That was the Giants' big gap before Sandoval left, and they can still pursue that, spend big there and find cheaper options at third. Tomas is probably also the acquisition that would most excite the fan base. Of course, other teams are after him too, including the Phillies and Braves.

3. SIGN CHASE HEADLEY
Headley, who the Giants know well from his time with the Padres, is the next best third baseman on the free-agent market. He was expected to come cheaper than Sandoval, but with the Red Sox signing two potential third basemen (Ramirez was a third base option for some teams), Headley's value has gone up. The Yankees are chasing him too, and we know they always have money to spend. If the Giants can get Headley, though, he's not a bad replacement at third. He especially did well after joining the Yankees and getting out of San Diego. His batting average and on-base percentage both shot up. He's also great defensively.

4. FILL THIRD BASE FROM WITHIN
In scenario No. 1 and 2 above, the Giants still need a third baseman. Their internal options aren't great, but that might be what they're left with in April. The most experienced option is Joaquin Arias, who's been a utilityman for the Giants the past few years. Nobody was too thrilled with him as a starting second baseman, though, and he certainly doesn't have the bat you'd like to see in a corner infield spot (.254 last season with no homers and 15 RBIs in 193 at-bats). Adam Duvall is another candidate. He was a rookie in 2014, playing in 28 games, mostly at first base, though he can also play third. He hit .192 with three homers in 73 at-bats. Not great, but he hit 27 homers and drove in 90 runs in Triple-A last season, so there might be potential for better days ahead.

5. TRADE BRANDON BELT
Our pal Dave Tobener (aka @gggiants on Twitter) suggests the Giants trade first baseman Brandon Belt in exchange for help. That might also cause more heartbreak in San Francisco, as many fans love Belt, but here's the thinking: The Giants have a surplus at catcher with Buster Posey and Andrew Susac. The Giants won't move Posey to third base, but a move to first could help him in the long run. So that leaves Belt the odd man out. He was good for 4.3 WAR in 2013 when he was healthy, and he's under team control until 2018, so Belt is a viable trade chip. The question is: Can the Giants get what they need for him on the trade market? If so, sentimental attachments aside, it might be a smart move.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

- - - - - - -

Mike Oz is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz