The San Francisco Giants had a quiet offseason after their massive trade last June. Rafael Devers will be with the team for a whole season, giving their lineup some incredible homerun power. Plus, they did sign Harrison Bader to improve their outfield defense. But the Giants will regret not signing Framber Valdez to a contract during MLB free agency this winter.
The Giants signed two pitchers in free agency, bringing in Adrian Houser on a two-year deal with a club option and Tyler Mahle on a one-year deal. Those are solid depth options and contracts that will age well for San Francisco. But those veterans do not bring the top-end talent that Valdez brings.
After Dylan Cease signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in early December, Valdez became the best starting pitcher available on the market. The Astros were not going to bring him back after he intentionally crossed up his catcher toward the end of the season. Whether or not that impacted his free agency market, we may never know. But it did take almost two months after the Cease deal for Valdez to sign with the Detroit Tigers.
Valdez latched on with the Tigers for three years and $115 millon. With two lefty aces at the top of the rotation, Detroit can be a force in the AL Central. But that leaves the Giants without a great second option behind Logan Webb. During this season, the Giants will regret not bolstering the second spot in their rotation. On their best teams in recent memory, there have been two strong pitchers leading the rotation.
Just because the Giants did not sign Valdez does not mean they cannot sign a significant piece to improve their rotation.
The Giants can still land a difference-making pitcher
Even though spring training is just days away from opening, the Giants can still make a significant splash in free agency. Their division rival Arizona Diamondbacks, have not brought back one of their top free agents yet. Zac Gallen spent seven seasons in Arizona before hitting free agency. But he put up one of his worst seasons before free agency, limiting interest in the market.
But the Giants should bring in Gallen to fill out their rotation. It should be another short-term contract, even if it is slightly more expensive than the other two they have signed. He is familiar with their division opponents and has had success against them in the past. They could use a solid second option behind Webb. And Gallen has a lot to prove if he wants a long-term contract.
The Giants got a great season out of Blake Snell when they signed him at a similar time of year. He made 20 starts with a 3.12 ERA in 2024 on a one-year deal. Snell declined the option, hit the open market again before 2025, signed a five-year deal with the Dodgers, and won the World Series. Gallen should see that and take a chance on a short-term deal.
The Giants have done a lot in recent years to bolster their offense. Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, and Devers are going to provide a solid middle of the order that can compete for a Wild Card position. Luis Arraez makes the infield defense questionable, but he is one of the top lead-off hitters in the game. The Giants may be set on offense, but their pitching needs a boost.
The Giants have made the playoffs just once since 2017, losing to the Dodgers in the NLDS after a 107-win 2021 season. Since that season, they have been a total of six games under .500 in four seasons. Can they break through their mediocrity and make the playoffs despite their pitching issues?
