SF Giants: 3 top pitchers to target if Carlos Rodon signs elsewhere

The SF Giants could very well lose their best pitcher from 2022, Carlos Rodon, in free agency. If Rodon does sign elsewhere, here are three starting pitchers they can sign to replace Rodon.

SF Giants: 3 top pitchers to target if Carlos Rodon signs elsewhere

Carlos Rodon was a great offseason signing for the SF Giants. He more than lived up to his contract by starting 31 games, winning 14 of them, and recording a 2.88 ERA and a career-high 237 strikeouts.

He was truly dominant at times, overpowering opposing batters with his dominant fastball up in the zone. He also avoided the injured list for the most part, which was a big fear with Rodon given his injuries last season.

However, it seems all but certain that Rodon will opt out of his contract this offseason as he is set to get a lucrative deal. While the Giants have expressed interest in brining Rodon back, they may simply get outbid by another team that wants a dominant starter in their rotation.

We saw the Giants last offseason basically let Kevin Gausman sign elsewhere, not even wanting to get involved in a bidding war for his services.

That seems unlikely with Rodon, especially after the Giants were roundly criticized for letting Gausman walk last year.

But even if the team makes a push to bring back Rodon, they could still get outbid. In that scenario, what are the Giants left to do?

The Giants will definitely feel pressure both internally and from their fanbase to find a worthy replacement in the rotation if Rodon does indeed leave in free agency.

Who are some potential replacements for Rodon if he does walk? The Giants will definitely desire a big name to replace Rodon's production, and there are definitely big names out there to be pursued.

There are also value finds out there, pitchers that the Giants have had a knack finding and rejuvenating in recent years like Gausman and DeSclafani.

Let's take a look at three pitchers, of both the big name and value find variety, who could potentially replace Rodon if he leaves in free agency.

SF Giants: 3 top pitchers to target if Carlos Rodon signs elsewhere

Target #2: Sean Manaea

SF Giants fans may be familiar with Sean Manaea from his time with the cross-bay rival Oakland A's as well as his most recent stint with the San Diego Padres.

Manaea falls into a middle tier of pitchers that the Giants could target. Fans almost certainly would not be ecstatic with the team signing him, but he would fit more in an Alex Wood or Anthony DeSclafani role as a guy who has shown promise in the past looking for a rebound year.

Manaea makes sense for the Giants. He is coming off of a down year with the Padres in which he had a 4.96 ERA in 158 innings pitched. His walk rate was up and his strikeout rate was down and he allowed more home runs than he has in any other year in his career.

However, there is reason to believe that he pitched better than the numbers may suggest as his FIP was 4.53, a bit lower than his actual ERA.

If the Giants went after him, they would be betting on the fact that they could help him improve the way they have with other pitchers like Kevin Gausman. They may also believe that a return to the crisp air of the Bay Area is what he needs to get him back on track.

SF Giants: 3 top pitchers to target if Carlos Rodon signs elsewhere

Target #3: Michael Wacha

Most SF Giants fans will remember Michael Wacha as the pitcher Travis Ishikawa took deep in Game 5 of the 2014 NLCS to send the team to the World Series.

More recently, Wacha had a solid bounce back year with the Boston Red Sox. He had an 11-2 record with a 3.32 ERA in 127 innings.

There is of course the chance that Wacha simply overperformed last year and will return to his middling ways.

But the Giants, if they miss out on Rodon and other starters and are desperate to fill a hole in the rotation, may decide that Wacha isn't a terrible option.

Of course, if Rodon walks away in free agency and the Giants get only Michael Wacha as his replacement, there could be riots in the streets of San Francisco.

But Wacha could be a solid piece that can be used in multiple ways: as a starter, an opener, or a long reliever.

Those were three potential options for the SF Giants should Carlos Rodon walk in free agency. There are drawbacks to all of them, and the list is in no way exhaustive.

If Rodon does indeed leave in free agency, there will be immense pressure on the Giants to land a premier starter like deGrom.

Of course, many Giants fans are hoping Rodon will be in orange and black next year, but if recent offseasons are any indication, it would be wise to make contingency plans.