Flamethrowing Pitcher Seen As Someone San Francisco Giants Should Trade

After one year with the team, one of the hard-throwing relievers is now seen as someone the San Francisco Giants should ship out of town.

Jun 27, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jordan Hicks (12) throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Oracle Park / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

There were a lot of moves made this past winter by the San Francisco Giants that looked great on paper.

Not only did they add power to their lineup by signing Jorge Soler, but they also inked some deals with international star Jung Hoo Lee and intriguing pitcher Jordan Hicks before before bringing in Matt Chapman and Blake Snell late in the process.

Overall, the results were mixed.

Snell struggled in the first half but looked like the two-time Cy Young winner he is after the All-Star break that could cause him to leave in free agency. Lee underwent season-ending surgery on his shoulder after looking like one of their best all-around players.

On the opposite ends of the spectrum sit Chapman and Soler, with the third baseman signing a long-term extension with the Giants and the star slugger being sent out of town at the trade deadline.

Hicks is somewhere in the middle of everything.

The former reliever came to San Francisco with the plan he would transition into being a starting pitcher for the first time in his career, and after a very solid start to the year, it looked like both parties made the right decision.

Unfortunately, all the additional innings started to take a toll on his command and effectiveness, causing the Giants to move him into the bullpen to close out the season.

If Snell does find a new home on the open market this winter, Hicks would be an important part of the rotation going forward with San Francisco looking for ways to get back into the playoffs.

However, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report actually thinks the flamethrowing pitcher should be traded by the Giants this offseason.

"With the guy who signed Hicks to a four-year, $44 million contract now out of the picture, it wouldn't be surprising if the Giants at least shopped him this winter. The only question then is what they could even get for him," he writes.

How new president of baseball operations Buster Posey views Hicks will largely determine his fate.

Like Rymer points out, he wasn't the one who signed the right-hander to that deal and might not see Hicks as someone who is a key part of this team going forward.

There were plenty of teams interested in the 28-year-old last offseason before he decided to join San Francisco, but after a seemingly failed move to starting pitching, the return package the Giants might get back could have significantly reduced.