According to FanSided’s Chris Landers, that upgrade is Lucas Giolito. The former Cy Young candidate was pegged to be signed by the Atlanta Braves, but with their indifference, Landers predicts San Francisco will swoop in.
“For a while we had him pegged for the Atlanta Braves, but there doesn’t seem to be a ton of interest there despite the losses of Spencer Schwellenbach, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz. So what about the Giants? They could still use another option behind Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Landon Roupp, Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle, and the spacious Oracle Park is just about the perfect fit for a fly-ball pitcher who’s had trouble at times with the home run ball. If Giolito’s looking for a place to compete for a playoff spot and rebuild his market for next winter, he could do a lot worse,” Landers wrote.
This past season, Giolito posted a 10-4 record, a 3.41 ERA, 121 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.290 over 145 innings pitched. Put him in a pitcher-friendly park like Oracle, and the former All-Star may have another All-Star year.
Giolito’s market value calls for a three-year, $61 million deal, but with the fact it’s so close to Opening Day, he might have to settle for a rental. Or, maybe a short-term deal with options.
Either way, the Giants getting Giolito would be huge. Hopefully, they realize that they have to contend with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and get to work.
