Logan Webb remains the anchor in San Francisco, but the Giants’ rotation looks like a major offseason project after a year spent near the bottom of the National League standings.
That’s the backdrop for Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer, who named the Giants the top landing spot for soon-to-be free agent right-hander Casey Mize. With president of baseball operations Buster Posey facing a lot of work on the pitching side, Rymer argued the club may not have much choice but to patch together a workable staff.
"With how much money the Giants have tied up in Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, Jung Hoo Lee, Webb and [Adrian] Houser, though, they kind of have to at least try to cobble together a competent rotation," Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer wrote.
Mize’s season told two very different stories. The former first overall pick was excellent in the first half with the Detroit Tigers, putting up a 2.70 ERA and allowing only five home runs across 86.2 innings. Then came a midseason trade to the San Diego Padres and a freak ankle sprain in the dugout that knocked him off the postseason roster.
After the move, things unraveled fast. Mize finished with a 7.46 ERA and gave up 13 homers in just 44.2 innings with San Diego.
Rymer also pointed out that Mize fits the type of arm the Giants have chased before.
"But every other free agent starting pitcher they've signed in the past half-decade-Alex Cobb, Alex Wood, Anthony DeSclafani, Sean Manaea, Ross Stripling, Jordan Hicks, Justin Verlander, Mahle and Houser-has fit that '12-ish million per year for a maybe middle-of-the-rotation guy' description," he wrote.
Given how his stint in San Diego went, Mize is not in position to command a huge payday. Rymer suggested a two-year deal with a club option in the second year could be the kind of structure that makes sense.
In Other News...
Padres Suddenly Have A Bullpen Concern In The Middle Of The NLDS
The Padres found themselves navigating Game 3 of the National League Division Series without one of their most important relief arms, as Adrian Morejon was unavailable because of a shoulder issue, manager Craig Stammen said. Morejon had not pitched since Game 1, though he did throw off the mound Tuesday before being held out, leaving San Diego to piece together the late innings without one of the left-handers it has leaned on this October.
Mason Millers absence only added to the uncertainty in the bullpen picture, with the closer on the paternity list and unavailable for the game. For a Padres club trying to hold a tight postseason edge, the timing could hardly be worse, and the relief corps suddenly has more to sort through as the NLDS moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Playoff Crowd Drew Viral Attention For A Very Different Reason
Petco Park had the kind of October energy the Padres have been chasing for years, with a sellout crowd on hand for NLDS Game 3 against the Brewers and San Diego pulling out a 4-3 win. For a moment, though, one clip from the stands ended up drawing as much attention as anything that happened on the field.
A female Padres fan was caught on video using her smartphones digital zoom to focus on the rear end of an unidentified player, and the footage quickly spread online. What might have passed as an odd, fleeting moment at a playoff game turned into a broader debate among viewers about public conduct and the double standards that can come with it. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Just Sent A Worrying Bullpen Message Before Game 4
Michael Kings six-out rescue in Game 3 kept the Padres from staring at elimination, but it also highlighted how little margin San Diego has left as the NLDS shifts into Game 4. The Brewers strange road playoff skid, now up to 12 straight losses and tied for the longest in postseason history, only adds to the sense that this series is swinging on small edges, with every inning carrying the weight of the season.
For the Padres, the bigger worry is the bullpen picture behind King after he was pressed into extra work just to get them through the last game. San Diego still has a chance to keep this thing moving, but the way Game 3 unfolded made it clear the relief corps is being asked to cover plenty, and Game 4 will tell a lot about how much more it can absorb. [Read more 🡒]