The San Francisco Giants got a start on their rotation building plans for the 2021 season after signing free agent starter Anthony DeSclafani to a one-year contract.
DeSclafani began his career with the Marlins before becoming a rotation staple with the Cincinnati Reds over most of the past six seasons.
He will rejoin former Reds rotation mate Johnny Cueto as a veteran starting pitching option for the Giants next season, who are looking to turn the corner after a few seasons of rebuilding.
DeSclafani’s deal, valued at $6 million, is a relatively low-risk signing that the club hopes will provide them with a pitcher who will contribute plenty of solid innings in the upcoming season.
They were able to sign the New Jersey native for such a modest deal partially because of his struggles in 2020. After putting together a career year in 2019 in which he started 31 games with a 3.89 ERA, DeSclafani regressed last season and saw his ERA inflate to 7.22 with his walk rate rising and his strikeout rate falling.
The Giants are betting that his 2021 season will look more like his career averages of a 4.29 ERA with nearly 8 strikeouts per inning, which seems to be a reasonable expectation considering the pitcher-friendly environment of their home park.
