MLB Power Rankings: Do the Giants have the best 1-2 punch in baseball?
By Curt Bishop
8. San Diego Padres
No Blake Snell? No problem.
The Padres knew they would likely lose Snell in free agency, which has ultimately now come to fruition. But knowing this, they went out and made a blockbuster trade with the Chicago White Sox, adding Dylan Cease to replace the reigning NL Cy Young.
Cease figures to be the Padres ace, but there's even more depth behind him. Joe Musgrove remains a key member of the team's rotation. Injuries slowed him down in 2023, but he still posted a 3.05 ERA in 17 starts and is not far removed from a stellar 2022 season which saw him post a 2.93 ERA and strike out 184 batters in his 30 starts.
7. San Francisco Giants
The Giants desperately needed a top starter to go alongside Logan Webb, who had been the club's for the past couple of years.
It may have taken until mid-March, but they ended up reeling in the biggest fish in the pond with Snell.
And so, the race for the NL West just got a little bit more interesting. San Francisco obviously won't be favorites compared to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they have a chance to compete for a Wild Card spot.
Snell gives them a reliable postseason starter with swing-and-miss capability. To add to his Cy Young season, he struck out 234 batters over 180 innings of work. He and Webb can now form a strong 1-2 punch in the rotation and help the Giants take the next step under manager new Bob Melvin.
In addition, Webb is no slouch, having pitched 216 innings and fanned 194 batters in his 33 starts while also winning 11 games and posting a 3.25 ERA.