Giants commit to another pitcher reunion with latest signing
SAN FRANCISCO — Within hours of resigning starter Anthony Desclafani to a threeyear, $36 million deal last Monday, Farhan Zaidi reiterated his desire to keep much of his 2021 roster intact heading into next season.
“I think for us to kind of keep a lot of the same fabric of the roster was was really important,” the Giants’ president of baseball operations said. “There’s still ways we
can improve and upgrade but I think there’s proof in concept with a group of players that was here last year and that’s kind of going to continue to be
a theme of ours this offseason.”
Zaidi is a man of his word.
A week after re-signing Desclafani, the Giants
agreed to terms with veteran starter Alex Wood on a two-year, $25 million deal to bolster a rotation that will look quite familiar next year. The
announcement comes less than 24 hours after San Francisco veteran right-hander Alex Cobb on a two-year deal with a third-year club option that guarantees the 34-year-old $20 million.
With ace Logan Webb projected to lead the group and Desclafani and Wood back in the fold, the Giants have three-fifths of their rotation back from last year and have a solid foundation heading into a period of significant uncertainty. At 8:59 p.m. PST on Wednesday, Major League Baseball’s Collective Bargaining Agreement is set to expire which will lead to a work stoppage and potential lockout.
During a lockout, all major league roster activity is frozen, meaning the Giants cannot sign free agents or make trades.
Since agreeing to a two-year, $32 million extension with shortstop Brandon Crawford in August, the Giants have now kept four of their most important contributors from last year in San Francisco through at least next season as Desclafani and Wood are rejoining a club that also committed $18.4 million to first baseman Brandon Belt in 2022.
Wood has battled injury issues throughout his career, but when healthy, he's an effective mid-rotation starter and a tone-setter thanks to his quick pace. In his first season with the Giants, Wood posted a 3.83 ERA over 26 starts and a 3.90 strikeout-to-walk ratio that represented his best mark since he had a 3.97 ratio in 2017, his lone All-star campaign.
Zaidi and general manager Scott Harris have indicated the Giants will continue an aggressive search for starting pitchers this offseason, but they were unable to retain right-hander Kevin Gausman who agreed to a five-year, $110 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Gausman was named an AllStar for the first time in his career this season and finished sixth in National League Cy Young voting.
In his career as an executive, Zaidi has never handed out a nine-figure contract and it's possible the Giants would rather spread that money around to a top position player or two who can help offset the loss of Buster Posey in the team's lineup.