The San Francisco Giants come into the 2022 season trying to keep the momentum they started during the 2021 season, finishing first in the NL West, but ultimately falling to the Dodgers in the NLDS. They made some key re-signings from that 2021 team as well as a fresh crop of free-agent signings to help anchor their starting rotation. While there are some key contributors that they have lost to free agency, there is no doubt this Giants team should be fun to watch once again.
Make sure to check out all of our other Season Previews.
Additions
The Giants mostly made smaller moves in free agency after making the first big splash of free agency soon after the negotiating window re-opened. However, added up with the different re-signings they made, the Giants ended up spending a little under $150 million on contracts. Their most expensive contract ended up totaling $44 million which overall is pretty cheap in today’s market.
Carlos Rodon, Starting Pitcher, Two Years, $44 Million
Rodon comes to San Francisco after spending his entire career with the Chicago White Sox. After having a rocky 2020 season with an 8.22 ERA, Rodon had a very successful bounce-back year in 2021 finishing the year with a 2.37 ERA and a career-high 185 strikeouts. Rodon was able to cash in on his successful year earning this contract with the Giants. San Francisco is certainly hoping that they are paying for the 2021 version of Carlos Rodon, who was also an All-Star and a Cy Young candidate last season. Rodon does have a player option at the end of this season so he could choose to test the open market again next year if this season goes well.
[pickup_prop id=”21635″]
Alex Cobb, Starting Pitcher, Two Years, $20 Million
Cobb joins Rodon as the newest members of the Giants’ rotation. After three abhorrent seasons in Baltimore, Cobb was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in the last year of the four-year, $57 million deal he signed with Baltimore in 2018. In his lone year as an Angel, Cobb had a nice bounce-back year as well finishing with a 3.76 ERA and 98 strikeouts, his best tally in that department since 2018. Cobb’s deal does have a team option in 2024, so if he performs well, he could end up in San Francisco for three years instead of two.
Joc Pederson, Left Fielder, One Year, $6 Million
Pederson, while his contract may only be for one year, could have a big impact on this Giants team. Coming to San Francisco after being a part of the World Series champion Atlanta Braves, starting the year as a member of the Chicago Cubs, Pederson was more of a situational player in Atlanta. More than likely, that would be the role he also takes in San Francisco. He undoubtedly adds championship experience to the locker room, also being a member of the 2020 World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Subtractions
The Giants were able to keep many of their impending free agents in-house, but not all of them. There were a few players who got contacts that they couldn’t turn down to go elsewhere, and they lost one of the best players to ever play in a Giants uniform, not to free agency, but to making the decision to retire.
Buster Posey, Catcher
The biggest subtraction from this Giants team was not a free agent that they lost, but one of the greatest Giants in history decided to ride off into the sunset. Posey spent his entire career with the San Francisco Giants after being drafted by the organization 5th overall in the 2008 draft, debuting in 2009. During his career, Posey was a seven-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner, and a five-time Silver Slugger. He was the 2012 NL MVP, the 2010 NL ROY, and a three-time World Series champion. An astounding resume for, perhaps, one of the greatest catchers of all time.
Kris Bryant, Third Baseman, Colorado Rockies
Bryant was acquired by the Giants from the Chicago Cubs as part of the Cubs purge at the trade deadline last season. Bryant was a huge acquisition for the team as a former NL MVP and ROY, a former World Series champion, and a four-time All-Star. In his time in San Francisco, Bryant was a solid contributor finishing his time with the Giants with a .262/.344/.444 slash line, but just seven homeruns and 22 RBI. Granted, that was in a small sample size of 51 games. Regardless, Bryant had the Brincks truck backed up to him by the Rockies and he would sign a seven-year, $182 million contract with Colorado.
Kevin Gausman, Starting Pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays
Coming off a horrid 2019 season that saw him switched to a reliever with the Cincinnati Reds, Gausman signed a one-year contract with the Giants hoping to turn things around. Turn things around he did as in that 2020 season, Gausman had a 3.62 ERA. However, after accepting a qualifying offer from the Giants, 2021 was the year that Gausman shined with a dazzling 2.81 ERA and a career-high 227 strikeouts. He turned that season into a five-year, $110 million contract with the Blue Jays.
Season Outlook
This season will be particularly interesting for the Giants. In an NL West that many fans and experts alike have picked the Dodgers to win this season, the Giants will be anxious to go for the repeat this season. If Rodon has another season like 2021, his signing could be one of the best signings this offseason. Logan Webb will be leaned on quite heavily again this season to have another excellent season after his breakout 2021 season.
One player Giants fans will certainly have their eyes on is Joey Bart. Bart comes into this season being the man behind the dish for San Francisco and will certainly have lofty expectations thrust upon him. But who better to learn from than Buster Posey? Another prospect who could potentially make his way up to MLB this season is Heliot Ramos, an outfielder ranked as the sixth-best prospect in the Giants’ system, according to MLB.com.
When the season comes to the trade deadline, the Giants look to be buyers once again this season. As long as their main contributors from last season continue their surge, like Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt to name a couple, the Giants should be a team that is certainly in the mix for not only the NL West crown but a deep postseason run.
Prediction: 98-64
The Giants have made some good additions with Rodon and Cobb to help replace Gausman, and will certainly be in the mix for a postseason birth, but having the Dodgers in their division gives their record a little dip. With much of their core beginning to age into their mid-30s, the Giants will still be a team to watch in the NL West and in the NL itself.
[pickup_prop id=”22691″]
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk
Follow Carson Babbini on Twitter @cbabs1120
Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
