San Francisco Giants Best Under-the-Radar Move Bolsters Starting Rotation

The San Francisco Giants suffered a major loss in free agency this past winter when starting pitcher Blake Snell opted out of his contract to hit the market for a second consecutive year.

He had operated as the co-ace alongside Logan Webb and following his second stint in the injured list was one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Looking to parlay that production into a payday, he entered free agency. This time around, he got exactly what he was looking for from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

As if losing a pitcher of his caliber didn’t hurt enough, the Giants had to watch him take his talent to one of their division rivals who just happen to be the defending World Series champions.

Looking to fill that void in the starting rotation, San Francisco dipped into free agency to find a replacement.

While they did go looking at the top of the market, connected to Corbin Burnes, that pursuit fell short. He ended up agreeing to a six-year, $210 million deal with another one of their rivals, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Instead, the Giants came away with veteran Justin Verlander, who agreed to a one-year, $15 million deal after spending last season with the Houston Astros.

Expecting the future Hall of Famer to step into Snell’s role and replicate the success he had in 2024 is unrealistic. At this point in his career, he is better suited for a middle to backend role, not as a front end anchor.

Some analysts have panned the move and don’t believe that it will work out. But, Jim Bowden of The Athletic (paid subscription required) is on the opposite end of the spectrum.

He believes that the Verlander addition will be a great one for San Francisco, naming it their best under-the-radar move of the offseason.

“The signing of future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander, who now gets to make half of his starts in pitcher-friendly Oracle Park. Verlander’s leadership and baseball IQ should help the development of San Francisco’s young starting pitchers like Kyle Harrison,” the former MLB executive wrote.

Harrison, who has struggled this spring with a dip in velocity, isn’t the only young player who can benefit from having the three-time Cy Young Award winner around in the clubhouse.

Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp, who have both shined at points in Cactus League play, have to relish the opportunity to pick the brain of and work alongside such an accomplished veteran with two World Series titles on his resume as well.

Coming off the least productive campaign of his career and now 42 years old, it was fair to question how much that Verlander has left in the tank.

There is plenty to provide from a leadership and guidance standpoint. But, if he can stay healthy, he has something to offer on the mound still as well.

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