SF Giants: 3 best signings of the Farhan Zaidi era

SF Giants: 3 best signings of the Farhan Zaidi era

3. Pitcher Anthony DeSclafani (one year, $6 million)

There seems to be a theme here in that the front office has done well to find pitching in free agency and Anthony DeSclafani's original contract was another example of this. This is a bit awkward because the righty's three-year, $36 million extension ranks as one of the worst deals handed out by the front office.

I add the caveat that DeSclafani still has plenty of time to turn that contract around. That said, the original deal to bring him in has proven to be another excellent signing.

The 32-year-old pitcher was coming off of an injury-plagued 2020 season in which he posted a 7.22 ERA across 33.2 frames for the Cincinnati Reds while dealing with an arm strain. The veteran starter struggled in the Great American Ball Park, which is the Reds' home field. so he was definitely in need of a change of scenery.

The Giants gave him that change of scenery after he inked a one-year, $6 million pact for the 2021 season. This was an opportunistic move by the Giants as DeSclafani recorded a 3.17 ERA, 3.62 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, 8.2 K/9, and a 3.62 SO/W ratio in 31 starts for the Giants in 2021.

He was a workhorse for the Giants rotation and was part of a really special team. He helped San Francisco nearly get over the hump against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he was rewarded with a nice extension in free agency.

Even if DeSclafani's current contract continues to disappoint, his initial deal will always be considered as a win for the front office.