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SF Giants: Pros and cons of making Tyler Glasnow a top pitching target this offseason

By Allen Settle |
Wild Card Series - Texas Rangers v Tampa Bay Rays - Game One
Wild Card Series - Texas Rangers v Tampa Bay Rays - Game One / Megan Briggs/GettyImages
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The SF Giants are clearly in the market for a top-tier starting pitcher this offseason. They have been linked to stars such as Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They could also be a sensible fit for recently non-tendered star Brandon Woodruff.

SF Giants: Pros and cons of making Tyler Glasnow a top pitching target this offseason

However, another ace-level pitcher has recently become available to MLB teams via trade: Tampa Bay Rays star Tyler Glasnow. Does Glasnow offer any advantages over signing one of the aforementioned free agents? Does trading for a star pitcher make sense when San Fransisco could simply sign one outright? And where does Glasnow's upside fit among Snell, Yamamoto, and Woodruff? Let's discuss!

What is the Downside to Signing a Free Agent?

While each of the options listed above has an elite upside, each in the free agency trio also carries a major drawback or concern. Snell, for instance, is the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner. But, he is also coming off a season in which he leads the league in walks. He also has a track record of rarely pitching deep into games.

Would Snell be an exciting offseason addition? Without question! However, one cannot help by wondering if a contract in the 6-7 year and $180-$200 range might leave a franchise with some level of buyer's remourse.

On the other hand, Yamamoto is an entirely different case study. He is much younger, only 25 years old, and carries a skillset that has most of the front offices in baseball salivating. Yet, he has no proven track record in Major League Baseball. When you pair the lack of a track record with the fact that Yamamoto is trending toward a 9-10-year contract in the $225 million range, it is easy to see how things could go south.

Lastly, we have Woodruff. The Brewers ace is quite comparable to Glasnow when healthy. Unfortunately, he is currently far from good health. A shoulder injury is expected to keep the ace on the sidelines for most, if not all, of the 2024 season. This means that the team that signs him is doing so with 2025 in mind.

This could be a shrewd sign and stash play. However, San Fransisco could use a major boost to their starting rotation in 2024.

While any of these would be acceptable options, each also comes with a notable degree of risk. This further opens the door for a trade for Tyler Glasnow.

SF Giants: Pros and cons of making Tyler Glasnow a top pitching target this offseason

What Advantages does a Glasnow Trade Offer?

There is one, key, advantage to trading for Glasnow. And it is one that the SF Giants' front office is well aware of. Team president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has been wary of signing a starting pitcher to a mega-contract during his tenure in San Fransisco.

While he has offered near-decade-long deals to hitters like Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa, it would be out of character for this front office to allocate such a massive portion of their money to a pitcher.

This track record leaves the notion of signing either Snell or Yamamoto as a potential long shot. It also makes targeting a shorter-term option like Woodruff all the more realistic.

However, what if there were a way to maintain the short-term financial commitment of a player like Woodruff, without having to wait a full season to receive an on-field boost? Enter Tyler Glasnow!

The Rays' ace is slated to receive a massive pay bump, to the tune of $25 million in 2024. While this is well deserved for a player of his caliber, it is seemingly too much for the small-market Rays to pay. However, it would be well within the budget of a major market club like the Giants.

While it would require the club to sacrifice trade chips, acquiring Glasnow would give the franchise a fringe Cy Young contender to pair alongside current ace Logan Webb. These two combined would instantly become one of the most dangerous pitching tandems in baseball. It would also give the club the firepower, especially if they are indeed able to add a difference-making bat like Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, or even Matt Chapman, to seriously compete in the loaded NL West.

Glasnow offers San Fransisco the chance to add an elite pitcher without sacrificing their long-term financial flexibility. It seems to be a clear win-win.

SF Giants: Pros and cons of making Tyler Glasnow a top pitching target this offseason

What are the Downsides to a Glasnow Trade?

While Glasnow is healthy and ready for Opening Day 2024, he unfortunately carries an injury history of his own. When he is healthy, he is one of the game's best pitchers. However, his availability is not always sure. In fact, Glasnow's 120 innings pitched in 2023 was his largest workload across eight seasons in the majors.

Additionally, Glasnow is entering the last year of his contract. This means that San Fransisco could be sacrificing on-field assets for a one-year rental. Perhaps the Rays' star thrives in the Bay Area and re-signs with the club. Considering the team's ability to develop pitching and their pitcher-friendly ballpark, this is a distinct possibility.

However, this places the franchise right back in the tension of offering a long-term contract to a historically brittle ace.

So, Where should Glasnow Rank on the SF Giants List of Pitching Targets?

I say that the Giants should put the Rays' star at the very top of their list of ace-level targets. While I would be thrilled to land either Snell or Yamamoto, Zaidi's aversion to playing massive deals to oft-injured pitchers is wise.

I have previously advocated for a Woodruff signing. And I stand by this take. However, if the club has a chance to land a healthy ace in his place (or perhaps to add both and deploy Glasnow in 2024 and Woodruff in 2025), they must consider taking it.

At the end of the day, everything comes down to the price point. If Tampa Bay insists on several high-end prospects or players, San Fransisco would be wise to politely decline. Especially considering the fact that Glasnow is a one-year rental.

However, if the price tag is anywhere near reasonable (and Tampa's desire to get his contract off the books should open this possibility), Glasnow appears to be the perfect, short-term, target for the SF Giants. Here's hoping they are able to land him!

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