3 mid-rotation options the SF Giants should target after Robbie Ray trade

3 mid level rotation options for SF Giants after Robbie Ray trade

2. Noah Syndergaard

Syndergaard has had a pretty steep fall from his days with the New York Mets. He was one of the most electric, exciting pitchers to watch at that time in his career.

But over his last few seasons he has struggled mightily. Last season with the Dodgers and Guardians he posted a 6.50 ERA with a low strikeout rate of 4.9 per nine innings.

That does not necessarily inspire a ton of confidence in Syndergaard going forward. But the Giants have shown that they are capable of taking guys coming off of struggles and turning them into really solid starters again. Perhaps they can do the same with Syndergaard.

3. James Paxton

James Paxton is coming off a pretty solid year for the Red Sox in 2023. He had a 7-5 record with a 4.50 ERA in 19 games started. This includes a 2.73 ERA in 10 starts in the first half of the season. The southpaw pitcher is not the same pitcher that he was when he was with the Seattle Mariners, but he still has something left in the tank.

Like Marcus Stroman, his second half was a far cry from his first half as he had an ERA over 7.00 after the trade deadline. He also dealt with injuries last season and will be entering his age-35 season. The big difference between the two pitchers is that Stroman will command a multi-year deal, whereas Paxton could be an option on a one-year deal with a team option for a second season.

But he showed enough last year that the Giants could take a chance on him on a one-year deal. If he has a solid first half like last year they could even use him as a trade chip depending on their needs and how the season is going.