The foxes continue to watch Jordan Hicks as a starting pitcher, president of baseball operations Buster Posey said this afternoon (X link via Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area). The 28-year-old righty finished this past season in the bullpen.
San Francisco signed Hicks to a four-year, $44MM free agent contract last winter. They gave the hard-throwing sinkerballer the starting job. That was Hicks’ first extended career. He had started eight games for the Cardinals in 2022 but moved back to the bullpen earlier that year. He was a full-time reliever in ’23 before being traded to the Giants.
Hicks showed early promise as a starter. He posted a 2.70 earned run average over 12 starts in late May. It looked like Hicks would be a success story in a trade to the Seth Lugo or Michael King mold, but things didn’t go well during the year. Hicks’ speed is decreasing every month. While he averaged 95.6 MPH in his sinker in April, that had dropped to 93.4 MPH in July. The results were down significantly as well, as he posted a 5.24 ERA in June and allowed nearly a run per inning in July.
San Francisco kicked Hicks out of the fold later that month. He pitched well in a one-inning role but battled shoulder inflammation late in the year. Hicks finished the season with a 4.10 ERA in a career-high 109 2/3 innings. Production quality was average when all was said and done, but it was an up and down year.
Given the way Hicks was dressed, it was fair to wonder if the Giants would send him back to relief permanently. Posey also had no obligation to sign him as a starter, a move that fell under former front office leader Farhan Zaidi. Still, it looks like they’ll give Hicks another shot at the trade spot.
Logan Webb, Robbie Ray again Kyle Harrison they are confined to changing roles to camp. If Hicks takes the fourth spot, that would leave one job up for grabs. That will likely be an external acquisition of some sort. The Giants have been linked as well Corbin Burnsalthough that reported interest predates their $182MM deal with Willy Adams. It is not clear whether they are still willing to play high in the exchange market. There are a number of affordable prospects in the middle stages of free agency. Mason Black, Hayden Birdsong again Landen Roupp they are the top candidates within the first five roles. Each has options and could open next season in Triple-A if San Francisco makes an addition.
In other exciting news, Posey downplayed the odds of a close trade Camilo Doval (forwarded to X by Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). The Giants took interest in the one-time All-Star, who struggled to a 4.88 ERA as his command declined this year. Trading Doval this winter would be a bit of a trade, however, and the Giants are already a little thin behind the bullpen. Ryan Walker had a breakout season taking the ninth inning, when Taylor Rogers again Tyler Rogers they are in potentially powerful roles. Doval, whom MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects will make $4.6MM in his first season of arbitration eligibility, represents a versatile middle innings option.
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