The San Francisco Giants' decision to let Kevin Gausman depart in free agency wasn't particularly popular, and didn't look great in hindsight after Gausman had another really good season in 2022 and the Giants stumbled to a .500 season. That didn't stop them, however, from letting the same thing happen with Carlos Rodón after the lefty pitched like a Cy Young candidate for the SF Giants in 2022.
Is the Giants' strategy the right one? Should they make more of an effort to retain these pitchers long term? The simple fact is that long-term deals for starting pitchers often age poorly. There are countless examples across the sport. And the Giants have had a lot of success in finding talents like Gausman and Rodón before they achieve peak value in a Giants uniform. So they trust their ability to keep doing this, and it's hard to argue with them. It's not like locking these guys in for the long haul will necessarily yield positive results. History suggests that such a move has a somewhat high chance of backfiring in a major way.
Which Giants pitcher is most expendable should Kyle Harrison prove he's ready for the majors? The SF Giants have so many starting pitchers; how would they create room if Harrison is ready and no one is injured? If the San Francisco Giants are in contention at the trading deadline, will they be more aggressive in bringing in impact talent after the way last offseason unfolded and the fan frustration that followed? Shohei Ohtani very well might be available...
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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.
Follow Ben Kaspick on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenKaspick
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