Did the SF Giants miss out on a possible reunion opportunity?

The SF Giants did well to rebuild the pitching staff as there were four rotation vacancies at the beginning of the offseason. But, is it the move that they did not make that they will regret in 2022?

Did the SF Giants miss out on a possible reunion opportunity?

Tyler Anderson is a name that Giants fans know. He was claimed off of waivers from the Colorado Rockies prior to the 2020 season, non-tendered after that year, and was rumored to be a trade target last July. The Giants likely had interest in a reunion this offseason with the lefty given that he fits what the front office likes in a pitcher.

In his lone season with San Francisco, the 32-year-old pitcher registered a 4.37 ERA, 4.36 FIP, 1.39 WHIP, 6.2 K/9, and a 1.54 SO/W ratio across 59.2 frames. These were not spectacular results, but Anderson underwent knee surgery in 2019 and did not look like he had fully regained his prior form with the Orange and Black.

That said, the veteran southpaw proved to be a reliable arm. He pitched effectively in the strike zone and the hope was that a move away from the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field would produce favorable results.

The Giants decided against paying Anderson a raise through arbitration and he latched on with the Pittsburgh Pirates before being shipped to the Seattle Mariners at the deadline. In 31
starts split between two teams, he posted a 4.53 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 7.2 K/9, and a 3.53 SO/W ratio.

Adding Anderson would have given the Giants a nice depth option. However, the lefty remained in the division after signing a one-year, $8 million pact with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is a move that has paid dividends so far as he has tallied a 2.59 ERA in with 53 strikeouts against only six walks in 55.2 innings with the division rivals.

The Giants found a surprisingly good arm in a different corner of free agency in Jakob Junis. The 29-year-old pitcher agreed to a one-year, $1.75 million deal with San Francisco just before the season got underway.

This was not a move that received a lot of attention at the time, but Junis has quickly turned into one of the best free-agent signings of the offseason. He has posted a 2.51 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 0.93 WHIP, 7.3 K/9, and a 3.89 SO/W ratio in eight appearances in 2022.

Perhaps, the Giants might not have signed Junis if they went after Anderson in free agency. Reeling in Anderson was a move that would have made a lot of sense for the Giants, but they found really good value elsewhere.