San Francisco Giants: Derek Holland Could Be Gone in 2019

Derek Holland was an interesting member of the 2018 San Francisco Giants, but it appears he may not return in 2019. On MLB Network Holland revealed that he has been in talks with the Cincinnati Reds in free agency.

We all knew that there was a fairly high probability that Derek Holland would not be back with the San Francisco Giants next season, especially with Farhan Zaidi being hired to come in and shake things up.

After a solid 2018 in which he won seven games and recorded a respectable ERA of 3.57, his value as a bottom of the rotation starter skyrocketed. The Giants most likely feel that they would be better served going with a cheaper option in 2019 like Chris Stratton.

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I agree with this mode of thinking. With the Giants unlikely to compete in 2019, it doesn’t make sense for them to give too much money to an average starter who won’t put them over the playoff threshold.

Plus, with a big name like Patrick Corbin off the market and no indications as of yet that the Giants are trying to make a big trade for a preeminent starter, there’s really no point in settling for an overpriced average starter.

2019 seems like a good season to call up a young prospect like Shaun Anderson midway through to get him some starts and some experience at the big league level.

Like I wrote in a previous article, 2019 will be an important year for the San Francisco Giants to figure out what they currently have. This includes players such as Steven Duggar, Dereck Rodriguez, and Andrew Suarez.

The faster the Giants figure out if these youngsters are staples of the team for years to come, the better served they will be in future free agencies so they fully understand what their needs are.

Derek Holland was a respectable pitcher for the Giants in 2018, stepping up when injury and poor performance necessitated his services. However, with 2019 being a bit of a wash, it’s understandable why he will most likely be lost in free agency.