SF Giants officially pick up team option on 12-year veteran

The SF Giants held a $10 million team option on veteran pitcher Alex Cobb for 2024. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Giants are planning to exercise that option in a move that comes as no surprise.

SF Giants officially pick up team option on 12-year veteran

Earlier in the offseason, the Giants had signaled that they had planned to pick up Cobb's team option. However, there were questions about it lately as he recently underwent surgery to fix a nagging hip ailment. With an expected recovery time of six months, it is likely that the right-handed hurler begins next season on the injured list.

Nevertheless, picking up his option was an easy decision given that Cobb has been one of the better bargains in baseball since inking a two-year, $20 million pact with a team option for a third season. The option included a $2 million buyout, so the relevant cost was $8 million for 2024. Again, this is a very easy decision.

Cobb has been a reliable pitcher for the Giants over the past two seasons, posting a 3.80 ERA in 56 starts since joining San Francisco. This includes a solid 2023 campaign in which he tallied a 3.87 ERA, 4.01 FIP, 1.32 WHIP, 7.8 K/9, and a 3.54 SO/W ratio in 28 starts. The 12-year veteran earned his first All-Star nod and nearly pitched a no-hitter this year.

The Giants will need to figure out how to put together a rotation in Cobb's absence. Logan Webb will anchor the rotation and the Giants have been connected to a star NPB pitcher. Behind this, they will really on a handful of younger options, including Kyle Harrison, Tristan Beck, and Keaton Winn as well as some veteran options such as Anthony DeSclafani and Ross Stripling.

It is likely that Harrison begins next season in the rotation with the current iteration of the pitching staff. Beck and Winn might not be far behind, and at some point, the Giants need to rely on their younger pitchers to piece together a rotation. That is a discussion for a different day. For now, Cobb is officially slated to return to the Giants next season.

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