SF Giants agree to terms with three players for 2022

The SF Giants have seven arbitration-eligible players and they agreed to terms with three of them prior to the non-tender deadline on Tuesday. Included on that list is Austin Slater, John Brebbia, and Jarlin García.

SF Giants agree to terms with three players for 2022

All three players are under team control and the only remaining question was cost. Interestingly, each player signed for below what they were projected to earn:

• Austin Slater - $1.85 million salary ($2 million projected)

• John Brebbia - $837,500 salary ($1 million projected)

• Jarlin García - $1.725 million ($2 million projected)
  
  

Perhaps, they were motivated to agree to a deal before the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expired and they were willing to take a small discount. The most surprising nugget is that the Giants decided to retain Brebbia.

The 31-year-old hurler posted a 5.89 ERA with 22 strikeouts and four walks in 18.1 frames following his return from Tommy John surgery. Brebbia did not have the sharpness and velocity that he demonstrated in three seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, but that is to be expected after major elbow surgery. The Giants are betting that he will be more effective the further he gets from the procedure.

The decisions to retain Slater and García were not surprising given that each player carved out a nice role for the team in 2021. Slater posted a .241/.320/.423 line (101 OPS+) with a 9.2 percent walk rate against a 27.5 percent strikeout rate in 306 plate appearances last season. He was used primarily against left-handed pitchers where he excelled (.894 OPS) while playing all three outfield positions.

On the other hand, García has turned into a fantastic addition by the front office. The southpaw registered a 2.62 ERA, 3.77 FIP, 0.961 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, and a strong 3.78 SO/W ratio across 68.2 with San Francisco last season. He was capable of remaining effective in multi-inning efforts and that proved to be valuable for a bullpen that was relied on heavily in 2021.

In addition to this, the Giants did tender contracts to Darin Ruf, Mike Yastrzemski, Dominic Leone, and Curt Casali. However, they were not able to agree to a salary for the 2022 season for any of the four players. They remain under team control and will determine a salary when a new CBA is agreed upon. That will either be a pre-arbitration agreement or determined through arbitration.

For now, the Giants have some cost certainty with a few players who are penciled in to fill important roles next season.