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9 hours ago
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The San Francisco Giants just had a really mediocre season, going 81-81 and missing the playoffs. They’ve made changes to add offense, signing Willy Adames and trading for Rafael Devers last season, but this season they need to focus on the other thing: pitching.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer believes they should as well, as he has the Giants as one of the top landing spots for Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez.
“Webb, Ray and Roupp are slated to return in 2026, but not Justin Verlander. And while simply bringing him back for his age-43 season is one option, the Giants also have to consider bigger swings that would draw them closer to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Signing Valdez would fit the bill, and there might not be a better fit for him on paper. Oracle Park is a dream park for pitchers, and Valdez would sign knowing he'd have Matt Chapman and Willy Adames behind him for the foreseeable future,” Rymer wrote.
Valdez posted a 3.66 ERA, a record of 13-11, a WHIP of 1.245, and 187 Ks over 192 innings pitched this season. While this doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade from Verlander, Valdez had a really bad end of season stretch. Before the trade deadline, he posted a record of 11-4, a 2.62 ERA, and 141 Ks.
If he can get back to his normal self, he would be the perfect ace to take over in San Francisco. It will definitely help that Oracle is a pitcher’s park, and make his ability to return to his All-Star self that much quicker.
Hopefully, the Giants get on the phone fast this offseason, as Valdez will be the top pitcher on the market, and many other teams will want him as well.
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