MLB Rumors: Phillies whiff, Cards Carpenter explanation, Braves HOF player comp

MLB Rumors: Phillies were interested in signing flamethrower

One of the more surprising deals of the offseason came when the San Francisco Giants signed Jordan Hicks to a four-year deal worth $44 million. The money, while expensive, wasn't the surprise. The team, while they didn't really need an expensive reliever, wasn't the surprise. The surprise was that the Giants were bringing Hicks aboard to start games.

Hicks came up through the minors as a starter but has spent most of his MLB career working in relief, with only eight starts in five seasons. While we've seen relievers convert to being starters before, ones with Hicks' injury history are certainly rare. The right-hander has had a variety of arm issues including undergoing Tommy John Surgery in the 2019 season. Additionally, he's never thrown more than 77.2 innings in a season in the majors, and that came back in his rookie year of 2018.

The Giants choosing to take this risk with Hicks is likely what steered him away from the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies and Hicks had mutual interest according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic (subscription required), but the Phillies viewed him as a reliever.

Being a reliever on a World Series contending team like the Phillies would likely be more appealing than being a reliever for the Giants, a team without much of a chance to win in 2024, but the Giants offering Hicks the chance to start while the Phillies would've wanted him to pitch in relief obviously makes a difference. Due to all of Hicks' concerns that come with being a starting pitcher, the Phillies are likely better off despite the whiff.