Sometimes, sticking with what you know proves to be solid advice. Scott Harris, President of Baseball Operations for the Detroit Tigers, previously signed right-handed pitcher to a multi-year contract in 2022 while serving as the GM for the San Francisco Giants. Now, the two will reunite on a one-year deal in Detroit.
Not long ago, the 37-year-old was experiencing a career resurgence in his mid-30s. After a challenging stretch in Baltimore from 2019 to 2021, he rebounded in 2021 and followed it up with two strong seasons in San Francisco, with 2022 being arguably his best year. The Giants picked up his one-year option for 2024, but Cobb ended the 2023 season after undergoing left hip surgery. While rehabbing for 2024, he also dealt with shoulder inflammation, which caused him to miss much of the season.
Cobb was traded to the Cleveland Guardians on July 30, making just three appearances for them down the stretch. However, his final start of the year was a six-inning shutout against the Pirates. He also pitched 5 2/3 innings in the postseason, facing the Tigers in Game 3 of the ALDS, where he allowed two runs over three innings.
As has often been the case in recent years, Cobb, when healthy, is typically an average or slightly above-average starting pitcher. Unfortunately, staying healthy has been a challenge for him, although he logged over 300 innings combined in 2022 and 2023 with the Giants. If he is indeed healthy now, he could still have a solid season left in him.
The downside, however, is the limited potential for further development. At this stage in his career, it’s unlikely that pitching coach Chris Fetter will be able to significantly alter Cobb’s approach. Cobb has been pitching the same way for years and, at age 37, he’s unlikely to add a new pitch.
Unlike earlier in his career, Cobb now relies more on his sinker than his four-seam fastball, and he’s even more of a ground-ball pitcher than before. He’ll mix in a few knuckle curves against right-handers, but his main weapons are a 94 mph sinker and an 89 mph splitter. The splitter has always been his trademark pitch, and while he’s not a big strikeout guy, he still generates plenty of weak contact on the ground when he’s on top of his game.
The details of Cobb’s deal, first reported by Ken Rosenthal, are not yet available, and he must pass a physical before the contract is finalized. A reasonable estimate for the one-year deal would be in the range of $8-10 million, though it could be slightly less.
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