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...
Giants Quietly Entering An Offseason Without One Usual Free Agency Headache
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That leaves the Giants in a different spot than in past winters, when they had to weigh whether to extend the offer to players such as Carlos Rodn, Brandon Belt and Kevin Gausman, then navigate the dominoes that followed. The organization has also been on the other side of the equation, bringing in players like Blake Snell, Matt Chapman and Willy Adames after they rejected qualifying offers elsewhere, so the mechanism has mattered in more than one way. This year, at least on that front, there is one less layer of offseason bookkeeping to manage. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Trade Looks Better As Robbie Ray Heads Into An Uncertain Winter
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For San Francisco, the trade at least offered a chance to reset while adding two prospects in Miguel Mendez and Joniel Hernandez. Rays next stop is still unclear with free agency looming, and after a rough finish with the Padres, there is not much certainty about where he fits next or how much interest awaits him on the open market. [Read more 🡒]
Mauricio Dubon Just Gave Giants Fans An Uncomfortable Reminder
Mauricio Dubns name still lands differently around San Francisco, even after a season that has only strengthened his reputation as a versatile and valuable player. So when the Braves fell to the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLDS, Giants fans were reminded of the version of Dubn they once knew, the one whose glove and athleticism could pop up in a big moment.
The reminder was an uncomfortable one because it came in a postseason game with the margin already razor-thin. Dubn made a key defensive mistake that helped open the door for the lone run of the night, a play that stood out precisely because he has otherwise established himself as a steady major league contributor. For Giants fans, it was another small twist in the long, familiar story of a player they once had to move on from when roster pressures forced difficult choices. [Read more 🡒]