The San Francisco Giants began the offseason facing a significant gap in their starting rotation after Blake Snell opted out of his contract and became a free agent. Now that Snell has agreed to a five-year, $182 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, what’s next for Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey? Snell’s move to the Dodgers likely signals that two key postseason pitchers, Walker Buehler and Jack Flaherty, will not be returning to L.A. in 2025. This raises the possibility that the Giants could target Flaherty and offer him a lucrative contract. After a tough 2023 season with a 4.99 ERA, Flaherty signed a one-year, $14 million deal with the Detroit Tigers to rebuild his value. The right-hander bounced back with a 13-7 record, a 3.17 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 194 strikeouts over 162 innings. He was also one of the few reliable starters for the Dodgers in their postseason run to a World Series title. ESPN’s Dave Schoenfield predicts the Giants will sign Flaherty to a five-year, $115 million contract to replace Snell.
“We don’t really know yet what Posey will emphasize as an executive, but considering he won World Series titles as a catcher with starting pitchers such as Madison Bumgarner, Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum anchoring the rotation, the best guess is he’ll believe you can never have enough pitching,” Schoenfield wrote. “The Giants were just 18th in the majors in rotation ERA — in a pitcher’s park, mind you — and will have to replace Snell if he signs elsewhere. Flaherty, coming off a strong rebound season, fits the bill.”
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