Report: Giants pitcher exercises player option for 2024 season

One option decision hanging over the SF Giants this offseason has been finalized. As expected, right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling is exercising the player option in his contract for the 2024 season, according to a report by Danny Emerman of KNBR. Stripling joined the Giants on a two-year, $25 million deal last offseason, but struggled mightily in 2023. Stripling had mentioned that he did not think he had pitched well enough to opt out in September, but had not made anything official.

Stripling was plagued by a back injury throughout the 2023 season, something he cited as a culprit for some of his on-field struggles. Despite starting the season in the rotation, Stripling was quickly relegated to a long relief role and bounced between those two roles  for the remainder of the year. Stripling did flash some consistency in the late summer, but still finished the season with 70 strikeouts, 16 walks, 20 home runs allowed, and a 5.36 ERA in 89 innings pitched (22 appearances).

Entering his age-34 season, Stripling will hope that he can get back to his previous form this offseason and potentially emerge as a stabilizing force in San Francisco's starting rotation. While ace Logan Webb is cemented atop the Giants rotation moving forward, 2023 All-Star Alex Cobb will likely miss the start of next season after undergoing offseason hip surgery. Webb and Cobb were the Giants only consistent starting pitchers in 2023, leaving plenty of opportunities for Stripling to work his way back into the mix.

Prior to joining the SF Giants, Ross Stripling had spent the rest of his career between the Dodgers and Blue Jays. Despite receiving an All-Star selection in 2018, Stripling has never been considered an elite big-league pitcher. However, he has flashed excellent versatility and been effective as a traditional starter, swingman, and long reliever.