Anthony Molina has pitched well enough for SF Giants to compete for a rotation spot next spring

SF Giants' pitching depth has taken a sizable hit due to the number of elbow injuries. That said, Anthony Molina has pitched well enough to be part of the rotation plan next season.

In recent months, Trevor McDonald, Carson Whisenhunt, and Blade Tidwell have gone down with elbow injuries that required reconstructive surgery. Tidwell is the latest to be recommended for surgery.

Earlier in the season, Hayden Birdsong also underwent Tommy John surgery. There is a good chance that he can return at some point next year.

The timeline might be less promising for the other three, especially Whisenhunt and Tidwell, both of whom sustained their respective injuries late in the year. The recover timeline ranges from 12 to 18 months, so in a best case scenario, they might began a rehab assignment at the end of next season.

More than likely, McDonald, Whisenhunt, and Tidwell will be ready to go by the spring of 2028. Before the injuries, they represent a good portion of the Giants’ rotation depth. Perhaps, the Giants would not want any of them making more than 20 starts, but they were expecting them to fill the gaps.

The SF Giants will need to rebuild rotation depth but might already have one option

With the recent bout of injuries, the Giants will need to find another way to fill the gaps. They are auditioning a handful of potential starters, including Anthony Molina. Molina came over to the Giants in a deal that sent Tyler Mahle to the Atlanta Braves.

Given the season Mahle had up until that point, it felt like they were just trying to offload the remainder of his deal. However, this may turn out to be a scouting win for the Giants and a nice addition for the Braves, as Mahle has been fantastic since the trade.

Molina spent most of the season in Triple-A with the Braves, but his fastball displayed improved pitch shape. In 2025, his four-seamer averaged 94.9 MPH and just under 15 inches of induced vertical break. This year, it has improved to 96.5 MPH and over 17 inches of induced vertical break.

That improvement in velocity helps, but the added movement favorably changes the shape of the fastball. If he can consistently locate it at the top of the strike zone, it should be a tough pitch to hit.

In a small sample, those improvements have paid off. Molina has posted a 3.72 ERA with 29 strikeouts and six walks in 29 frames with San Francisco. That is good enough to give him a nice look next spring.

A good rotation needs six to eight starters to get through the season. The Giants will need to fill several of those spots, but Molina has pitched well enough to cover at least one spot.

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