The Milwaukee Brewers added to their pitching staff last week by signing former SF Giants right-hander Jakob Junis to a one-year, $7 million deal. Junis was a consistent contributor for the Giants from 2022-2023 and inked a uniquely structured deal with Milwaukee after becoming a free agent.
Junis will receive $4 million in 2024 with a $3 million buyout for a mutual option for 2025. As the Brewers enter a period following the trade of ace Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles, Junis has a path to return to the starting rotation on a full-time basis–– a role he was forced to vacate by the Giants last season.
Despite his flexibility, Junis pitched in mostly a bulk-innings role with the Giants last season. In 40 games, including four starts, the veteran righty fired 86 innings and recorded a 3.87 ERA with a 5.7% walk rate and a career-high 26% strikeout rate. In 20 of his 36 relief outings, Junis completed at least two or more innings.
In particular, Junis' slider has been a signifcant weapon in his aresnal. He used the pitch 62.5% of the time with opponents hititng .216 against it.
The Giants signed Junis to a one-year, $1.75 million ahead of the 2022 season. Injuries to the pitching staff forced San Francisco to use him more in the rotation during in his first season. After throwing 112 innings in 2022 with a 4.42 ERA in 23 games (17 starts), Junis was rewarded with another deal before the 2023 season.
Junis, 31, was a 29th rounder by the Kansas City Royals in 2011 out of high school and spent five seasons at the big league level with them from 2017-21. While he was never dominant, Junis was a solid innings-eating back end starter prior to injury riddled campaigns in 2020 and 2021, leading him to be non-tendered. Now, he looks to build on his successful tenure with the SF Giants in a potential return to the rotation with the Brewers.
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