Logan Webb was feeling lonely at the top of the San Francisco Giants‘ pitching staff after Kevin Gausman signed with the Toronto Blue Jays back in November of 2021. And Farhan Zaidi didn’t want Webb to feel the pangs of a solitary life for too long. Zaidi and Scott Harris signed Chicago White Sox All-Star, Carlos Rodon to a two-year, $44 million contract. This includes an opt-out after the first season. Webb immediately felt better. The addition of Rodon brings a strong, yet injury-plagued, arm to a San Francisco team looking to add pitching depth.
Meet Carlos Rodon
Rodon was the No. 3 overall pick by the White Sox in 2014. He has spent his entire professional career on the south side of Chicago. 2021 was Rodon’s breakout season posting a 2.37 ERA, a 183 ERA+, and a .957 WHIP. And while he was limited to just 24 starts last year because of shoulder fatigue, Rodon still finished fifth in the AL Cy Young voting and was a first-time All-Star. But, previously to last season’s brilliance, Rodon has been injury prone and struggled with consistency. He had Tommy John surgery in 2019 and has never seen the northern side of 30 starts.
His Stuff
Rodon brings a fastball that averages out at 95 mph and a slider that ranks right up there with the best in the game. He’s not quite a mirror of Gausman, who had the best split-finger in baseball, a plus fastball, and an occasional slider, but Rodon should fit nicely into Gausman’s spot in the rotation if he can stay healthy. The addition of Rodon, who was widely considered the best starter left on the market, might not prove to be Gausman, but he was the choice move for the Giants. And as a result, they have solidified a starting rotation that, at least on paper, looks like one of the best in baseball.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
Players Mentioned:
Logan Webb, Kevin Gausman, Carlos Rodon
