Braves signs Drew Smiley, and the SF Giants transform into other free pitchers
When the regular season for 2020 ended, Farhan Zaidi, head of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, and director Gabe Kapler expressed their desire to re-sign junior shooters Kevin Gossman and Drew Smiley.
The Giants discover a way to bring Gusman back, but they miss the opportunity to reunite with Smyly. Atlanta Braves announced Monday that they have signed a left-handed $ 11 million deal for one year.
Smyly’s left index finger injury has been limited to just 26 1/3 round this season, but he didn’t need much time to make an impression on opposing clubs. With a slight increase in his fastball speed and an impressive 14.4 kicks per nine games, Smyly emerged as a desirable choice for teams seeking assistance in their off-season rotation, eventually securing access to Braves Club which houses one of the league’s deepest casting squads. the National .
After setting aside $ 18.9 million for Gausman with a qualified bid for the veteran, the Giants must now figure out a way to put together a better tournament that has been a relative weakness this season.
Smyly may have broken through behind Gausman and Johnny Cueto in the middle of the Giants’ spin, but there are plenty of other free agents available, including a plethora of interesting left-handed options who might be tempted to sign the shorter type. – Or two-year deals expected to be popular in the off-season.
Injured former Yankees player James Paxton has the best track record of any left-handed free agent, but he underwent back surgery at the start of the year and has also dealt with knee issues and forearm strains over the past few seasons.
If the Giants are interested in more permanent options, former Rangers and Mike Minor of Team A could be a strong candidate to bounce back after the 2019 American League All-Star Championship scored 5.56 ERA in 12 appearances this year. Other people who will be appearing on Giants’ radar include Jose Quintana, who has had multiple hits this season, Alex Wood, who has had two bad seasons in a row, and Mike Montgomery, who has more success than as a debut.
There is also a group of entry-level left-handed players nearing the end of their careers, but they can still offer good value to a team like giants looking for more balance in their rotations. 36-year-old Cole Hummels, 38-year-old J.A. Hub, and 40-year-old Rich Hill appear interested in signing a competitor, and while the Giants have not competed in the qualifiers in four seasons, Zaidi has said he expects to pay Team to Pavement Post-Season 2021.
Looking for an unruly candidate to watch? Look no further than Erik Jokesh, the 31-year-old, left-handed who last appeared in major competitions in 2014. Jokesh led the Korean Baseball Organization with 2.14 ERs at the start of this year and is said to be considering returning to the states United.
With Smyly signing for $ 11 million and former Ruby Ray D’backs agreeing to a one-year, $ 8 million deal with the Blue Jays, it looks like the Giants may have to spend more money than they initially wished to fortify the middle of their rotation.
Despite early indications, teams will not be willing to make big commitments to free agents due to the financial fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic, Smyly and Ray have demonstrated that there is still interest in shooters with questions about durability and consistency, even if it’s in one-year deals. Just .
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