SF Giants News: 13-year veteran pitcher hangs up his spikes

A former SF Giants lefty reliever has decided to call it a career. Veteran pitcher Jake McGee tells Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that he is retiring after 13 major league seasons with the hopes of appearing in a pre-game ceremony for the Tampa Bay Rays this season.

SF Giants News: 13-year veteran pitcher hangs up his spikes

McGee was selected in the fifth round of the 2005 draft by the Rays out of Edward C. Reed High School in Sparks, Nevada. Back then, they were called the Devil Rays.

He debuted with the Rays in 2010 and posted a 2.77 ERA in 297 appearances across six seasons for Tampa Bay before he was shipped along Germán Márquez to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Corey Dickerson and Kevin Padlo.

According to Topkin, McGee holds the Tampa Bay record for most appearances. Given the level of turnover within the organization, especially on the pitching side, that record should stand for a while.

Like most pitchers, McGee struggled to adjust to the high altitude and hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field as he tallied a 4.78 ERA in four seasons with the Rockies. The left-handed hurler spent a season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, winning a World Series ring in 2020, before signing a two-year, $4.5 million deal with the Giants.

This deal included an option for a third season with a $500,000 buyout. Obviously, that option was not exercised as the Giants designated McGee for assignment midway through the 2022 season, but he is still will be receiving a check this season.

In his first year with the Giants, the 36-year-old put together a solid season as he registered a 2.72 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 0.905 WHIP, 8.7 K/9, and a 5.80 SO/W ratio in 62 appearances. He converted 31 saves in 36 opportunities.

However, McGee's four-seam fastball velocity and control regressed in 2022. He struggled to the tune of a 7.17 ERA for the Giants before being placed on waivers. The lefty appeared briefly with the Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals to finish the season.

Incredibly, the 13-year veteran was a one-pitch pitcher for his entire career. He flashed his four-seamer 88.3 percent of the time while mixing in an occasional slider. Despite the opposing hitter knowing what was coming, he still managed to tally a 3.71 ERA throughout his career. We at Around the Foghorn would like to wish McGee the best of luck in his future endeavors and hats off to a very nice career.