Carlos Rodón won 14 games, posted a 2.88 ERA and finished second in the NL with 237 strikeouts last season. So, it wasn’t a surprise when the left-hander opted out of his Giants contract last month to test the free-agent market.
That market reportedly already is white hot.
Rodón “is getting looks from as many as 18 teams,” a source told the San Francisco Chronicle’s John Shea in an article posted Monday.
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The Giants, of course, would love to re-sign Rodón, but he’s due for a big raise from the $21.5 million he was paid last season, along with the certainty of a long-term contract.
ESPN projects that Rodón will receive a five-year, $130 million deal in free agency, though some executives told the outlet that they could see $150 million, too. Jacob DeGrom, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is considered by many as the top pitcher on the market, but Rodón, at 29, is five years younger, has made an All-Star team the past two years, and proved his health by pitching a career-high 178 innings last season. He’d be a great option for any team that misses out on DeGrom or perhaps prefers a younger lefty in its rotation.
Another factor to consider: Rodón’s agent is Scott Boras, who isn’t exactly known to give teams a free-agent bargain. Still, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi seemed optimistic when talking to reporters after the season about Rodón’s situation.
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“He’s going to have plenty of suitors,” Zaidi said. “I'm sure we’re going to be talking to Scott Boras about bringing him back, and the feedback from Carlos and from Scott is that he enjoyed being here, he enjoyed pitching in our park, and I would say there’s mutual interest, and we’ll just have to see how it plays out.”
The Giants have roster spots to fill and money to spend -- have you heard they’re interested in Aaron Judge? -- so fans will join Zaidi in seeing how it plays out, with fingers crossed.