SF Giants: Three Takeaways From the Reds Series

SF Giants: Three Takeaways From the Reds Series

3. Jake McGee has been stellar

Over the past 15 years, the Giants have had some great bullpen arms. Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo, Jeremy Affeldt, and Javier Lopez were all key cogs during the Giants’ championship run and became known as the Core Four.

Will Smith was a National League All-Star reliever in his final season with the Giants as he recorded a 2.76 ERA with 34 saves in 65.1 frames. These were all very good relievers, and Jake McGee is quickly positioning himself as a key arm on this Giants roster.

San Francisco signed the left-handed hurler late in the offseason to a two-year, $5 million contract with a $4.5 million team option for 2023. First impressions can fade quickly, but this is one deal that looks like a bargain.

In the Reds series, he made two appearances, recording a save in each outing. His appearances tend to be very boring and that is a good sign for Giants fans. He yielded just two baserunners, including one by way of the hit, with three strikeouts against the Reds and he has been a true stopper.

In fact, the hit he allowed in today’s game was the first one he has yielded all season. On the year, McGee has converted six saves in six opportunities across eight scoreless appearances. The southpaw continues to maintain a fastball-heavy approach as he has flashed it 92 percent of the time in 2021. He has quickly become a player that fans appreciate.