SF Giants should sign veteran starter who owned them while with Diamondbacks

The SF Giants need to address their pitching staff by any means necessary this offseason. While the big free agent names like Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez should get more attention, veteran starter Merrill Kelly could be a better, and more affordable, fit.

Giants fans should be familiar with Kelly from his many years with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has actually had quite a penchant for pitching well against the Giants as he has a 8-5 record and 3.24 ERA in 21 starts against San Francisco.

SF Giants should pursue former D-back Merrill Kelly in free agency

The Giants were linked to Kelly by some ahead of the trade deadline in 2025 when it still seemed like they might try to make an addition to the rotation. The D-backs were looking to sell at the deadline and with Kelly being an impending free agent he made sense as a trade piece.

Instead of ending up with the Giants, Kelly was dealt to the Texas Rangers. He pitched pretty well for the Rangers with some minor blips and overall on the season he had a 3.52 ERA in 32 starts and 184 innings pitched.

He has been a consistent pitcher in his career and has made 30 starts or more every season since 2022 with the exception of 2024. The Giants could really use that sort of consistent production in the rotation and Kelly may be the perfect guy to provide it.

We know that the Giants probably will not be playing in the deep end of the free agent pool this offseason based on remarks made by Giants chairman Greg Johnson that suggest the team is not eager to give out a nine-figure contract to a starter. That is why a mid-tier option like Kelly could be a move that is more in the team's comfort zone.

He would be a sort of compromise option between the top-end starters and the veteran starters like Max Scherzer or Justin verlander who could likely be had on a one-year deal.

Kelly is 37 so he is not a spring chicken, but he has a history of durability and consistency so the Giants could probably feel comfortable giving him a two or three-year contract at the right price.

He would not be the sexiest signing by any stretch, but after last season when the Giants basically ran out of healthy pitchers it would not be the worst thing to bring in someone kind of bland but reliable like Kelly to help pad out the rotation.