SF Giants All-Star pitcher likely out for Opening Day after hip surgery

After several weeks of rehab attempts, SF Giants All-Star starting pitcher Alex Cobb is going to undergo left hip surgery.

The SF Giants released a concerning piece of news during Game 4 of the World Series. According to a team press release on Monday evening, starting pitcher Alex Cobb is slated to undergo surgery on his left hip to alleviate ongoing impingement issues on Tuesday with Dr. Marc Philippon, which plagued him throughout this past season. Cobb had been attempting to avoid surgery through several rehab methods, but he opted to undergo surgery after a follow up with Dr. Philippon. It is expected to take six months before Cobb can return to pitching, effectively ruling him out for spring training, Opening Day, and possibly the first month of the 2024 regular season.

SF Giants SP Alex Cobb pitches against the Rangers at Oracle Park. (2023) / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Cobb pitched through hip pain throughout the second half of the 2023 season, and had to be removed from his final start of the season when the pain became too much to pitch through. Prior to the injury, the 12-year MLB veteran ranked among the best pitchers in the league in many categories and received his first-career All-Star selection. However, he never seemed able to recover from throwing more than 130 pitches in a near no-hitter in early September. Cobb finished the season with a 3.87 ERA across 151.1 innings pitched (28 starts) with 131 strikeouts and 37 walks.

Cobb told reporters during the season that doctors had told him pitching through the injury would not worsen the damage. He also did not think he would have to undergo surgery to address the issue. Obviously, things have changed since the end of the season.

The timing of the injury is particularly frustrating for Cobb, who could become a free agent following the World Series. The Giants currently have a $10 million club option for the 2024 season. San Francisco could be concerned about committing eight figures and a roster spot to a pitcher heading into his age-36 season coming off a major surgery. Still, it would seem shortsighted given Cobb's recent production.

Even if the SF Giants do plan to exercise the club option in Alex Cobb's contract, his impending surgery should incentive the team's front office to be even more aggressive in free agency. It was reported earlier this offseason that San Francisco was planning to outbid any competitors for top NPB starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Perhaps that mindset is motivated by a concern about Cobb's early-season availability.