Giants land Hicks on 4-year, $44M deal
The San Francisco Giants and right-hander Jordan Hicks agreed to a four-year, $44-million contract, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Hicks is expected to start for the Giants after being used as a reliever for the majority of his career, according to Passan.
The hurler can make an additional $2 million in performance bonuses based on innings pitched, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Hicks has made eight career starts out of 212 appearances over his five-year career. However, he's one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball, as he ranked in the 100th percentile in fastball velocity and 96th in ground-ball percentage last year.
The 27-year-old posted a 3.29 ERA with an 11.1 K/9 and 12 saves over 65 2/3 innings as a reliever split between the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays in 2023.
The Giants are projected to start the season with Hicks, Logan Webb, Ross Stripling, Kyle Harrison, and Keaton Winn in the rotation. Newly acquired 2021 Cy Young winner Robbie Ray is expected to join the group following the All-Star break after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Right-hander Alex Cobb, who underwent hip surgery in October, will also return at some point.
The New York Yankees and Houston Astros were reportedly among the other clubs interested in Hicks.