Clayton Kershaw’s 2021 season didn’t go as hoped. The Dodgers icon was sharp when healthy and posted his best K-BB% (25.3) since 2017, ultimately logging a 3.55 ERA in 121 1/3 innings with even better fielding-independent marks. That said, Kershaw also missed more than two months due to a forearm injury and was only able to briefly return before a recurrence of that same issue wiped him out for the postseason. Asked at his end-of-season press conference whether Kershaw would be viewed differently than other free agents because of his history with the club, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters that’s likely to be the case (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Juan Toribio):
“Yeah, I think that’s fair,” said Friedman. “Obviously what he’s meant to this organization, to the city — from his standpoint, I think it’s all about what makes sense for him and Ellen and their family. … “I think, taking off my president of baseball operations hat, there’s something nostalgic and great about Kersh playing with one team and being able to win another championship and having a parade.”
Friedman noted that Kershaw has earned the right to do what’s best for his family but spoke glowingly of the lefty’s legacy and implied a desire to continue the relationship. Kershaw reportedly won’t require surgery, and the Dodgers will have the option of making a qualifying offer to the veteran southpaw.
More notes on the looming free-agent market for starting pitchers…
- There’s a “strong” chance that the Giants will push to work out a multi-year deal to keep Kevin Gausman atop their rotation, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Giants value the chemistry that was developed during this year’s postseason push and have interest in maintaining some continuity, which could lead them to explore reunions with any of Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood. San Francisco president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has already gone on record to call the rotation the team’s “number one priority” this offseason, no surprise given the impending free agencies of Gausman, DeSclafani, Wood and Johnny Cueto (whose $22MM club option will assuredly be bought out for $5MM). The Giants have about as much payroll flexibility as any team in baseball, giving Zaidi and his staff myriad options in rebuilding the rotation over the coming months. It certainly stands to reason they’ll be active in the market for Gausman, who has an even 3.00 ERA with stellar strikeout and walk numbers (30% and 6.5%, respectively) over 251 2/3 innings in black and orange since the start of 2020.
- Gausman received a qualifying offer last winter, making him ineligible for another in his career. The Giants will have to decide whether to offer an $18.4MM QO to one or both of DeSclafani and Wood in the coming days, though. Grant Brisbee of the Athletic opines the club should offer a QO to DeSclafani based on the aforementioned rotation uncertainty and payroll flexibility. Signed to a bounceback deal last offseason following a poor 2020 with the Reds, DeSclafani made 31 starts and worked 167 2/3 innings of 3.17 ERA/4.11 SIERA ball this past season. Brisbee doesn’t expect San Francisco to risk that lofty one-year sum on a QO for Wood, however. Also a low-cost flier last winter, Wood impressed with 138 2/3 frames with a 3.83 ERA/3.60 SIERA. Injuries limited the veteran southpaw to just 48 1/3 combined innings from 2019-20, though, and it remains to be seen how much of an effect durability concerns could have on Wood’s free agent market this time around.
I could see Gausman/DeSclafani/Wood all returning to San Francisco next season. Cueto, i think will be the odd man out unless he really wants to return and does so for little money above the likely buyout
I think you are forgetting something. The Giants pitching staff was much better at the end of the season. Webb and Doval were not apart of the Giants plan in Spring Training. They could attract a lot of iffy talent. Guys looking to reestablish some value. I see them signing a bargain basement arm. Zaidi values continuity.
This comment makes no sense.
I forced a bot to watch over 1000 hours of MLBTR comments sections and….
He’s saying Zaidi signing bargain basement arms would be continuity because that’s what he typically does. It wouldn’t be player continuity but it would be tactical continuity as far as Zaidi is concerned. I’m pretty sure he was halfway joking or being sarcastic but if you read between the lines and look at Zaidi’s recent history with the Giants it makes sense.
@the Mets… missed…Can you explain what you mean by tactical continuity? I guess that is why nobody wants to run the Mets. You are vague and obtuse.
It pretty simply just means a consistent strategy. Does someone else need to dumb it down more for you?
Its gonna be a combo of the 2.
To think, all four of them are ex-Reds. Strange
Not all. Just Gausman most likely. Wood is a possibility but i wouldn’t count on him being this effective two years in a row, as he’s never shown that in his entire career.
Resign Gausman to a 3 year 70 million deal. Give up more $$ for less years. His poor second half cost him some change.
Trade Bart (assuming Posey is back next year) for a controllable starter (Miami is looking for catchers and have a surplus of starting pitching. Could be a fit. Bart + prospects for one of their starters.)
Lorenzen from the Reds seems like a FZ/Harris type project. Low cost, high reward.
If Verlander proves to be healthy, i’d welcome him on a 1 year high AAV deal.
Webb
Verlander
Gausman
pitcher from Miami
Lorenzen
i like it.
Also gives us flexibility to sign a hitter or two.
Let Disco walk. The guy was good but nothing great, especially in the second half, and was awful versus the Dodgers all year. Not someone I want long term. He literally looked scared out there in game 4.
What about Scherzer and Verlander?
Meaning both?
Have to think you won the roll of the dice on Wood and move on. Odds of him going back to back years of 130 innings can’t be good.
What are the odds of the Angels having a decent pitching staff?
After this off-season? I’d say pretty good, but that’s just my opinion. Like yours, all irrelevant until whatever is going to happen, happens.
Come on giants74 you ask for an intelligent comment about the Giants pitching staff then go into 3rd grade mode when you get one? He’s not lying about Wood being a health risk. If I were the Giants I’d offer the QO and hope for the best but going too much for too long wouldn’t be a smart move.
@mcdusty49 You really believe the Angels have had a great pitching staff the past decade? Alex Wood made $3 million in 2021. A 2 year contract in the neighborhood of $10 million seems a nice starting point. A 1 year contract of $19 million is probably an overpay.
Nowhere in his comment was he bragging about the Angels pitching staff. As a matter of fact I’ve always witnessed @HalosHeavenJJ being very objective when it comes to his team’s outlook. That aside, a 2 year contract in the $10 million range looks good assuming that they don’t go much more than that. I think that the Giants realize that they caught lightning in a bottle last season with some of their pitcher’s performances. It would make sense to run it back with something similar with a short term liability attached, as opposed to a long term liability. The lineup is getting older as well, the window to compete with this core is closing fast. Zaidi is a smart dude, soon enough the Giants should have the organizational balance the Dodgers have been lucky enough to employ the last few years.
@mcdusty Hmm…You really believe that the Angels have had a good pitching staff? I think you underestimate the Giants pitching coaches. You’re wanting to give Wood a QO still seems like a huge overpay. I don’t know what you mean by the Giants having a window that is closing? Webb and Doval shined at the end of last year. Ramos and Bart will probably stake their claims next season. Duggar and Wade had really nice seasons. There is no reason to believe their success won’t continue.
Bro your reading comprehension is not a strength. The Angels pitching was not good, nor did anyone say it was. Webb and Doval looked very good and should give the Dodgers hell moving forward. What I’m saying about Wood is that I wouldn’t give him more than 2 years and if I had to choose between multiple years or a one off QO deal, I’d prefer the latter. Ramos and Bart still need to prove themselves and Duggar and Wade are good but I’d have to see some sustained success to be sold on them. Posey, Crawford and Belt are getting up there and you’ll need to replace KB if he’s not re-signed.
Why is it when you criticize a team some buffoon fan on said team immediate rebuttal is to fire back insults towards your team?
I don’t really get it. And i find it a waste of time when people have to qualify their opinion prior by saying “reds fan here” before commenting on a giants post.
Nobody is talking about the angels pitching staff here. The guy just said he wouldn’t gamble on Alex Wood being effective back to back seasons.
The giants will be ok if you don’t defend them by attacking every poster who criticizes them slightly. What are you metsfan22 brother or something. SMH.
@iverbure: I agree. I don’t get what 74 is doing other than just attacking everyone he thinks isn’t a Giants fan. I was actually trying to back him up at the beginning of the thread because everyone said he made no sense. I guess they were all right. I don’t see anything here but a guy attacking fans of other teams for commenting about an article in his team. It doesn’t seem to matter what they say. Every response I’ve seen him direct at a specific person has been negative no matter what. He attacked the Angels rotation just because Halo11 made a comment. It’s not like Halo11 runs the Angels or anything. Fans of any team are allowed to take an interest in what every team does. Giants74 might be the San Francisco version of Metsfan22.
Alex Wood would jump all over 18.4 million. He is a back of the rotation pitcher with a long list of injuries over his career. I think he may get two years from some club for maybe 16-20 million total.
One in a million
Not a bad year for Cueto’s deal to end. He may be able to get 8-10m considering Ray and Richards were able to last year on 1y deals. Wouldn’t mind too terribly seeing him in Boston as a ERod/Richards/perez replacement.
Cueto will not get 8-10m. Odds are he will get a 5m or less deal to retire on
I think Farhan will work something out with Gausman as long as Gausman doesn’t get greedy. Given Gausman’s extremely poor career until he reached SF, I’d say 4yrears/$20M per (plus a mutual option for year 5). And they try to sign either DeSclafani or Wood, not both, with possibly Anthony getting a QO. But the real upside to the Giants rotation in 2022 will come from deals—rather noteworthy ones—that bring on two young highly-rated starting prospect arms from other clubs. But be ready to see a few of the Giants top prospects go in those deals.
@pete’s view Why are you guys so eager to offer DeScalafani and Wood QOs? Seriously. $2 and $5 million are healthy raises for both. There is no way they will find takers at $19 million.
Maybe Wood could get the $18.4M on a 2-year incentive laden deal.
DeSclafani looked great for a few months and then reality set in.
He’s probably worth 4th- or 5th-starter money, whatever that is, but I can’t imagine he’s going to have any suitors throwing $18M per season at him.
And DeSclafani was comically abysmal vs. LAD last year. Time to cut ties there.
I think you’re right, but he might get a team to offer a two-year at $24M or a three-year at $36M. And that is why Farhan might stick the QO on him.
If you read my comment, you’ll see that I say I would only “possibly” offer DeSclafani the QO (not Wood). The Giants have to rebuild their entire rotation and I could see Farhan using the QO to DeSclafani to fend off other suitors who—I agree—are not likely to want to offer him anything like that, even on a multi-year. Especially after his rather pedestrian career so far.
But DeSclafani pitched well (except against LA) and bringing him back—along with Gausman—makes filling out the rotation a tad easier. Webb, of course, looks like an ace. While Webb’s sample size (half a season) was terrific, there’s always a chance for regression.
Clubs love the one year deals and that’s why QOs are attractive to both players and clubs, We all know that players perform extra on contract years.
It`s not what they earn in past years that matters, its not arbitration. Both pitchers performed as 3rd starters, so a QO to both Wood and DeSc is the smart move.
Absolutely zero chance either Wood or Desclafini get QOs, zero. No other team will be willing to give either one of them that much for two seasons never mind one. The Giants need to move on from Belt at this point and find a 1B that actually plays a full season once in a while. That would be money poorly spent.
Giants should either trade for Luke Voit or give Belt a 1 year deal. Do the latter if the Yankees seem content with Voit and ask for a high price.. (they didn’t seem too content with him last deadline)
i could see them doing the QO of wood & DeScarfini, getting a 4 yr deal with gausman @ 100mil then signing max for 3 yrs @ 75mil
I’m not sure a 4-year contract for Gausman is a smart move. 3 years, maybe. DeSclafani and Wood could be worth 2-year contracts if the money’s right. Yes, the Giants probably buy out Cueto, but he continues being a quality pitcher and a valuable presence who can give a team plenty of good innings. And I expect practically everyone tries signing Dodgers free agent Chris Taylor, and I’d think he probably stays with L.A., but he’s also a perfect fit for S.F., especially if Bryant signs elsewhere.
Not probably. It’s a certainty they buy out Cueto.
Cueto hasn’t been good in five years. As a Giants fan, I’m baffled at why other Giants fans want him back unless it’s a ridiculously cheap deal on top of the $5 Million they already have to spend to send him on his way
Lot of bad memories of Gausman getting rocked in the AL East BradS. Hard to see him getting 20m and that at 4-5y like some on this board have predicted with his track record. if he does, it’s almost bound to be a contractual disaster waiting to happen.
Cueto is far from a quality pitcher. Don’t let his stat line fool you. He had a few good outings to go along with a lot of piss poor outings. I think he’ll be retiring and moving back to the DR. Don’t see him playing next year. He’s made his money. He’s built his lavish home in the DR. He can enjoy retirement now.
Giving the QO to Disco or Wood would be a huge mistake. They would both either accept the deal or not be able to get one with that kind of draft pick attachment. Wood is a #4 starter on a good team and Disco made a living off mediocre teams. Look at what at competent offense does to him.
@amk1920: Regarding your reference to DeSclafani and mediocre teams, keep in mind that’s how the entire Giants team achieved its MLB-best record. The Giants had a winning record against only one N.L. playoff team (L.A., against whom they were a virtually even 10-9). No winning records against any of the others (Braves, Brewers, and Cardinals.) Conversely, the Dodgers had a losing record against only one playoff team: the aforementioned 9-10 “push” vs. the Giants. That’s perhaps as good a reason as any why the Giants were snubbed in postseason predictions, and why they failed to advance in the playoffs. Everyone knew they were feasting on lousy teams (including three in their own division) and stumbling against the best, whose pitching was too good for the Giants’ offense to handle.
Claim: Giants were not good against good pitching.
Fact: Dodgers had the best team ERA in baseball.
Fact: Giants had a winning record against the Dodgers.
Myth busted, dude.
Yeah man you don’t win 107 games by beating only bad teams…. The Dodgers and Padres both had the same opportunities as the Giants and yet the Giants came out on top at the end of the regular season and then had a great divisional series vs LAD. 107 wins is an awesome accomplishment that doesn’t happen by accident. Just tip the cap to the boys on a great year. No one expected it, but this is why you play the games.
Of course, the Giants split the season series vs Atlanta and won the season series vs Houston. As you may have heard, those teams are playing in something called the “World Series.”
But thanks for playing.
If Kershaw is an “icon” what does he symbolize?
Dodgers
Longevity, perseverance, a relentless pursuit of success, community spirit, giving back. He’s an icon of the Dodgers because he is often the first player thought of when someone mentions the team. He’s great on the field, and even greater off it. That’s iconic.
Agree with you Cam – and I’m a Giants fan. The guy is a credit to baseball.
The guy is a gamer on the field. Just flat out competes. Hates losing. Hates getting taken out of the game. Hasn’t had the best stuff the last few years and his stuff is obviously in decline mode, but doesn’t make excuses and maximizes his ability. Can’t ask for more. As a player in decline it would make a lot of sense parting ways with him, but as a character guy, teammate, etc. makes a lot of sense to keep him if price is right.
Agree re Kershaw. The Dodgers needed him. He deserves to retire a Dodger. He’s a class act, too. Ps I’m not a Dodger fan
Aside from October(and the last year or two) he has been a pretty reliable guy. He definitely earned the right to be a lock in a rotation for as long as he has been
@blueskies, one I agree with @cam above. But first and foremost, when I think of Kershaw. I think of “class.” He is such a competitor, and such a presence on the mound (although that is waning) and he does it only with his good nature and nasty “stuff.” He is a team guy, a community guy, a family guy, a players’ player, and wholesome. Pure class. As our teams are such rivals, and I don’t like your team much (not a hater tho), I can’t help but always loving Clayton Kershaw.
The point being, icons are symbols. He’s a real ballplayer, and a great one about whom much could be said before trying to make him into a symbol or representation of something, which is a step removed from something real. The other point is, calling everything an icon has become a cliche that’s spread like wildfire over the last few years. It’s the word writers use now when they can’t be bothered to think of a better and more descriptive word.
Good points about over use of the term. Willie Mays is an icon, albeit a living one. Kershaw is much younger than Scherzer and hopefully still a great player into the later part of this decade. It needs to play out.
It’s hard to hate Kershaw like it’s hard to hate Posey (many do hate both). Both classy guys and great players. Kershaw and Posey both deserve to retire with their teams
Haven’t heard many say they hate either player
Perhaps the best overall starter of his generation
He stands for the most picayune hill to die on.
Best dodger of this Era.
Ever*
Kershaw wants to win a Championship won’t be with the Dodgers. Still hasn’t won a legit one. 40% doesn’t count
@yep, look, I am Giants fan and even I believe that the Dodgers are legitimate WS winners in 2020.
Please. They always fall apart when having to play a full season
Please to you. Being in the lcs 5 of the last 6 years is always fall apart? And 3 of the last 5 World Series? Hahahaha. Okay
Think you mean the Padres
When’s the last time they won a real World Series? 2020 has an asterisk. They make it to the NLCS 5 of 6 years, and make it to the World series 3 times, but they fall apart.
Grant Bisbee lol..he’s bad
QO and Kershaw could be the perfect answer, although it may be a bit low honestly, assuming he is projected to be ready for ST
Pitching staffs be very fickle. Always good to move cautiously.
If I had a GM hat on, I’d re sign Gausman, I wouldn’t offer Wood or Disco the QO but gauge their market. The pitching market is quite large this off season and I’m sure FZ will dabble in there while looking for bounce back opportunities. I do think the Giants should look to the trade market also for a controllable SP… hello Marlins, looking at you
Bart for one of the controllable Marlin SPs is the foundation of an excellent multiplayer trade.
Speaking of Miami, Wood might be worth a try there for a modest deal. Another big ballpark, a team wanting to add some veteran leadership.
What makes him a leader?
He is older than most
Would loveeee to see a Marlins trade for either Heliot Ramos or Joey Bart. I’d float a Pablo Lopez for Bart offer to SF. Or a Max Meyer for Ramos swap.
as a Giants fan, i’d do Bart for Pablo. Seems Miami and SF match up well. Miami needs catching help. SF needs starters. Don’t think Giants will move Ramos. But i think Bart will be expandable. But if you’re offering Max Meyer for Ramos, then FZ would be dumb not to listen.
Max Meyer for Ramos would be terrifible for Miami. Bart might not even be worth it.
I would keep Gausman and Descalfani and go after Syndergard.
I would try to keep gausman and wood maybe QO disco and go after a whole bunch of guys like paxton and chichi gonzales and folty – there is a bit of a wealth of guys this year you can get on the cheap who have been dominant but need to build back value after injuries or down years
I can see a 4-5 year deal for Gausman, a 2 year for Wood, but I’d like to see a 2-3 year deal for Mad Max, and a 1-2 years for Greinke… This would give the pitching prospects to matureand hives us some lefty starters.
A lefty starter
As most of you know, teams often offer a QO when they expect the player will reject it and sign with a different team, thus resulting in a loss of draft picks for the signing team. That’s the strategy when you expect the player believes he can do better than the $18/yr. Draft picks will replace that player. You don’t offer the QO if you expect the player to jump at it. No draft picks. In Gausmans case last year, he accepted the QO. It was believed he’d get approximately that much accepting or refusing. The Giants would have been happy either way because they were going to sign him either way. If you offer a QO to a player when you expect there is no way he refuses it (no team will come close to paying $18 million for the guy) then you’ll keep that player as an overpay. There is no way either Disclifani or Wood would come close to $18 million/yr on the open market. So the draft pick strategy would fail if those 2 are offered a QO.
Many of you are probably saying “Duh,Claude, we know this”. But many of the posts here are suggesting that those 2 get QOs. So I assume there is a misunderstanding about the QOs. I’ll shut up now. PS. I believe Belt gets a QO because I expect he’ll sign for somewhere around $18 mill. Now I’ll shut up. Feel free to argue
A team that has money to spend might do it preferring to give someone more money for one more season as opposed to going multiple years. I don’t think they’d throw the offer out there if they thought it would be crippling for them if the player accepts
The Dodgers need to concentrate their free agent dollars towards retaining guys that are still contributing at a high level, not continuing to pay Kershaw for that he did ten years ago. At this point, you know that you aren’t going to get more than 18 or so starts out of him, and he’s been paid like an ace 4 or 5 seasons beyond the point at which he pitched like one. The team should get some salary relief from Bauer’s contract, and that need to be put towards retaining Scherzer first, and worrying about Kershaw later. I think the club will be making a big mistake if they let Seager walk, but I worry that they won’t pay shortstop money to a guy that really fits better at third base, which IS a position of need for LA, with the DH coming and Justin Turner’s declining range/advancing age.
I think Seager is all but gone tbh
Shaw is one of my fav players of all time; but with this team, at this time , you just have to draw a hard line in the sand – I wouldn’t go over a 3/50….not saying he can’t get more on the free market but that’s what Id offer
I would like to add a couple backend starters this offseason and some extra bullpen help (just 1-2 adds) that can possibly go 2 inns outta the pen instead of 1 . Preservation of Buehler and Urias is at the forefront of my mind, also keeping the pen fresh for that 7th month which starts in April