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Should the SF Giants take a flier on former Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff?

By Allen Settle |
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Milwaukee Brewers v Miami Marlins / Carmen Mandato/GettyImages
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The SF Giants should be big game hunting! After striking out on stars like Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa in recent offseasons, it seems as though San Fransisco is as determined and well-positioned as ever to finally land the jolt of star power the franchise so desperately craves.

Should the SF Giants take a flier on former Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff?

While dreams of Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, and others dance around fan's heads, it is clear that the club has a real need for top-end pitching talent to pair with current ace Logan Webb.

While any of these top options would be great fits, an alternative path toward an All-Star SP may have presented itself in the form of the recently non-tendered Brandon Woodruff. As the former Brewers star has drawn interest from across MLB, San Fransisco's front office must ask the all-important question: Should the Giants take a flier on the former ace?

And the answer seems quite clear. It is a resounding yes! However, the following factors must be considered.

1. The Talent Upside

Woodruff has established himself as a legitimate top-tier starter. This has tremendous value in a world where many pitchers fall somewhere in a blob of mediocrity. During his seven-year MLB career, Woodruff holds a career 3.10 ERA and a stellar 46-26 record. He is a two-time All-Star who, with some fleeting injury concerns aside, has been incredibly consistent throughout his tenure in The Show.

Should the SF Giants take a Flier on Former Brewers Ace Brandon Woodruff?

2. The Injury and Financial Risk

However, the elephant in the Woodruff conversation comes in the form of a shoulder injury that will keep the veteran on the sidelines for most, if not all of the 2024 MLB season. This means that whichever team signs him, will do so on a multiyear deal with the 2025 campaign in their crosshairs. As unfortunate as it is for Milwaukee, Woodruff, and a potential suitor like the Giants, it would be unwise to count on his services at any point this upcoming season.

Yet, Woodruff retains value, particularly for a large-market club like SF, who have the payroll flexibility to consider a 2-3 year contract without sacrificing their ability to pursue any of the aforementioned superstar free agents.

Some have speculated that adding him could cast as much as $20 million per season on a short-term deal. While this is a high price point, it is worth the respective gamble for a team like San Fransisco.

Best case scenario, Woodruff recovers well from his surgery, returns in the last few weeks of the season, and is able to pitch in the postseason (in any capacity). This places pressure on the Giants to make the playoffs without his services. But the potential alone is worth the risk.

Worse case, the former Brewer is truly out the entire season, and we see he and Webb form a formidable 1-2 punch that would rival the best the Bay Area has seen since the Tim Lincecum/Matt Cain tandem. On a more serious note, there is a very real possibility that Woodruff does not fully rebound from the injury. Hopefully, it does not happen, but shoulder injuries for pitchers can be very scary.

Should the SF Giants take a Flier on Former Brewers Ace Brandon Woodruff?

3. The Short-Term Advantage

Woodruff is far from being as safe a bet as other free agents like Blake Snell ($23.5 annual projected market value) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($200 million projected total salary). And, if indeed he is able to land a deal anywhere near $20 million per year, he will only be slightly discounted.

The point to remember when arguing in favor of Woodruff is his contract will require significantly fewer years. It would not be surprising to see Yamamoto land a contract beyond five years with a chance to opt out. Snell, on the other hand, will likely command a seven-plus year deal.

While both have sky-high upsides, the former is totally unproven in MLB, and the latter has several seasons with an inflated ERA and just became the rare Cy Young winner to also lead the league in walks.

Should the Giants want to add an ace without betting the farm on either Snell or Yamamoto, Woodruff represents a much shorter-term option that would require significantly less commitment. In fact, there is even a world in which San Fransisco could elect to add two of these players to totally revamp their starting rotation.

Regardless of which option they choose, the SF Giants should work to establish themselves as one of the leaders to secure Woodruff's services. While he would require a patient approach, this is a move that could pay nice dividends as soon as 2025 and that is why signing makes a lot of sense for a team that tolerates injury risk like the Giants.

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