Coming into this offseason, the Giants had not guaranteed multiple years to a starting pitcher since Farhan Zaidi took over. They now have done it twice in about a week, and like with Anthony DeSclafani, there's a chance Alex Cobb is around for 2024, too.Â
The club announced the agreement of a two-year, $20 million deal with Cobb on Tuesday, one that includes a club option for 2024. Cobb joins DeSclafani and Logan Webb in the rotation, with Alex Wood close to returning as well.
Cobb, who turned 34 last month, is coming off a strong season with the Los Angeles Angels. He posted a 3.76 ERA and 2.92 FIP and struck out a career-high 9.5 batters per nine innings. Like Kevin Gausman, who reached new heights in San Francisco, Cobb relies heavily on a splitter. He threw the pitch 37 percent of the time in 2021, holding opponents to a .226 average. Cobb also throws a sinker in the low 90s and a curveball.
Cobb's contract is, at the moment, the second-biggest the Giants have handed to a starting pitcher under Zaidi, and it could come close to matching DeSclafani's three-year, $36 million deal if he sticks around for a third year. Cobb will make $9 million each of the next two seasons and the Giants hold a $10 million option for 2024. If they do not pick it up, Cobb gets a $2 million buyout.
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Cobb was a fourth-rounder in the 2006 draft and has pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles and Angels. He was teammates with Evan Longoria and Jake McGee while in Tampa Bay.