Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
A Giants offseason that has included so many frowns nearly added a smile on Thursday.
San Francisco signed Drew Smyly to a one-year, major league deal, adding depth and a lefty to a shallow rotation that skews right.
The 30-year-old, an established big-league pitcher who’s had very good seasons in Detroit and Tampa, was dreadful last year with Texas before rediscovering himself with Gabe Kapler’s Phillies, throwing 62 2/3 innings of 4.45 ERA ball. He got better as the season went on, posting a 3.65 ERA in five September starts. Kapler, the new Giants manager, surely gave his approval.
This leaves the Giants with an all-right top of the rotation of Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija and Kevin Gausman, with righties Tyler Beede and Logan Webb (who will be on an innings limit) the most talented behind them. Lefty Tyler Anderson, brought over from Colorado, could crack the rotation but may not be ready for the season’s start after knee surgery. Along with Smyly, Conner Menez and possibly Andrew Suarez will be the only southpaws competing for spots. Dereck Rodriguez and Shaun Anderson also will enter camp trying to win spots for a pretty wide-open competition.
With a one-year deal, Smyly will join Gausman as this year’s batch of pitching fliers, an offseason after Farhan Zaidi took small gambles on Drew Pomeranz and Derek Holland.
To make room on the roster, the Giants designated righty reliever Trevor Oaks for assignment.