If there's any landing spot in which Carlos Rodon, a pitcher who has only once in seven big-league seasons qualified for the ERA title (i.e. pitched at least 162 innings) while averaging 105 IP per 162 team games, could have instantly become a more intriguing fantasy baseball pick, the San Francisco Giants were certainly it. On Friday, he became the first big-name free agent to agree to terms post-lockout, accepting a two-year, $44 million offer from the 2021 season's winningest team.
By signing Rodon, the Giants continue to annually assemble the same style of pitching staff I tend to love in fantasy baseball -- one I call "lots of homework." He's a high-ceiling pitcher (albeit at a heightened injury risk) who fits the team's tendency to mix and match, whether over a string of games or within a single game itself. The aim is to squeeze the very best from a pitcher like this, and worry about filling the gaps around his contributions only once they appear.