Brisbee gives me hope about the rotation

[msgkings322]

If we surprise to the upside this year it will likely be the pitching rotation, a lot has to go right but they do have a chance to be a really strong one.

Projected rotation​

Logan Webb

RHP

197 IP, 3.45 ERA

The entire Giants roster is filled with ifs and buts, but they can count on Webb to be the candies and nuts. He’s an old-school workhorse, a fan favorite and one of the best starters in baseball. Any road to October goes through him.

Justin Verlander

RHP

129 IP, 4.17 ERA

Verlander joins Warren Spahn, Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson as Hall of Famers stopping in San Francisco toward the end of their career, but he has a chance to be better than any of them were in the Bay. He looked good this spring, and you should never count him out when he has something to prove.

Robbie Ray

LHP

158 IP, 3.86 ERA

The Giants have high hopes for Ray in his first healthy season back from Tommy John surgery, and while a pitcher learning a new pitch is one of the oldest spring clichés, Ray learned his new changeup from fellow AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, and it was even better than expected in March.

Jordan Hicks

RHP

127 IP, 4.15 ERA

Hicks was a revelation as a starting pitcher for the first two months of 2024, but he tired shortly after that. He had an entire offseason to get ready to start this time, with some 100-mph sinkers this spring as a proof of concept.

Landen Roupp

RHP

83 IP, 3.83 ERA

The fifth starter’s job didn’t look like an open competition this offseason, but Roupp made it one with his darting sinker and tight curveball, and he eventually overtook Kyle Harrison, whose velocity didn’t bounce back from last season’s dip. Hayden Birdsong will be right behind Roupp on the depth chart, and if he’s pitching well, the Giants will have a happy problem to figure out.

 

[msgkings322]

Only way to win in SF in my opinion, pitching first, just like the 3 rings.

 

[msgkings322]

It's why I wanted an ace...look at those pitchers now bump everyone down a spot and take Roupp out

But the bullpen has potential to be really good again too. It's upside case but not unreasonable.

 

[msgkings322]

Projected top relievers​

Ryan Walker

RHP

Closer

68 IP, 2.98 ERA

When Camilo Doval’s command faltered last season, Walker got the chance to close, and he didn’t give the job back. He has one of the nastiest sinker-slider combinations in baseball, and he has the second-funkiest delivery in baseball.

Tyler Rogers

RHP

Setup

60 IP, 4.06 ERA

Walker doesn’t have the funkiest delivery in baseball or even on his own team, though, because Rogers exists. Rogers won’t have his twin brother in the bullpen, but he’ll be on Year 7 of making hitters look ridiculous. He walked only six of the 290 batters he faced last season, too.

Erik Miller

LHP

Setup

61 IP, 3.47 ERA

Camilo Doval is still expected to have a high-leverage role and would be here in a normal season, but Miller gets the last capsule because he might be the only lefty in the bullpen, with the possible exception of a long reliever. He’s faced Shohei Ohtani five times and struck him out five times, if you were curious.

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