Ranking the top SF Giants starting pitching targets by HR/9

Ranking the top SF Giants starting pitching targets by HR/9

3. Jordan Montgomery - 0.86 HR/9

Early last season, I thought Jordan Montgomery would have been a sneaky, under-the-radar target for the Giants this offseason. The left-handed pitcher had put together a solid career prior to the 2023 season, but performed closer to a mid-rotation arm than an ace.

That narrative shifted in Montgomery's favor this season. The seven-year veteran was fantastic this in 2023, recording a 3.20 ERA, 3.56 FIP, 1.19 WHIP, 7.9 K/9, and a 3.46 SO/W ratio in 32 starts split between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. This includes a 0.86 HR/9 ratio.

The veteran pitcher was even better in the playoffs, posting a 2.90 ERA in 31 innings while helping the Rangers win their first World Series title in franchise history. That type of performance will get a pitcher paid and Montgomery is expected to score a very nice payday in the neighborhood of six years and $150 million according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Since he was traded midseason, Montgomery was not eligible to receive a qualifying offer. This could only help his market as some teams like the Giants are reluctant to give up a draft pick when signing a player.

Editor's note: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (0.1 HR/9) allowed just two home runs across 164 NPB innings in 2023. The Giants have been in the mix, but he is expected to have a heavy market. On a different note, Marcos Stroman (0.59 HR/9) excels in home-run prevention and could be a target for the Giants, but they will need to weigh his off-the-field concerns as well.