SF Giants ace Carlos Rodón opts out of contract and becomes free agent

SF Giants ace Carlos Rodón has opted out of his contract, officially making the 29-year-old left-handed pitcher a free agent.

The SF Giants’ star pitcher Carlos Rodón has opted out of his contract and entered free agency. The news was first reported by MLB.com Giants beat writer Maria Guardado. Rodón could have stayed in his current contract, which would have paid him $22.5 million for the 2023 season but, as expected, he will hit the open market in search of a multi-year deal.

SF Giants pitcher Carlos Rodón throws a pitch. (2022) / Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

This season, Rodón pitched 178 innings of 2.88 ERA baseball, easily surpassing the 110-inning requirement he needed to activate his opt-out. He amassed 237 strikeouts, finishing only behind Corbin Burnes at 238 in the National League, and recorded double-digit strikeout starts 11 times, which set a new SF Giants franchise record.

In seasons past, Rodón’s inability to stay healthy had been a big concern. The Chicago White Sox, who drafted him third overall in 2014, watched him struggle with injuries throughout his career, even undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019. When healthy, though, he was a solid mid-rotation arm.

In 2021, however, Rodón looked like a new pitcher. He recorded a 2.37 ERA in 132.2 innings in his final season with the White Sox before another injury shortened his season. Still, despite his struggles to stay healthy, the Giants signed the southpaw to a two-year, $44 million contract last offseason.

Rodón was dominant in 2022, and only missed time due to a late-season blister. His season will make him easily one of the most sought-after starting pitchers available, ranking eighth on Giants Baseball Insider's free-agent rankings. He will join other aces like Jacob DeGrom and Justin Verlander in free agency, but only 29, he's easily the youngest of the top options.

Rodón’s opt out leaves a very big hole in the Giants starting rotation, though it was not a surprise to the front office. "Obviously we expect Carlos to opt out and that'll create an opening in our rotation," president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said in October.

Zaidi did say there was mutual interest in a contract extension between the Giants and Rodón but, given the contracts similar pitchers have signed in free agency, San Francisco will have to spend big to keep him in Orange and Black.

Carlos Rodón will have plenty of suitors in free agency. It was reported earlier this month that the Texas Rangers plan to make a push to sign Rodón. The SF Giants do have a short window before November 10th to re-sign Rodón before he is able to negotiate with other teams. However, at this point, that seems unlikely.