Last season, the San Francisco Giants exceeded expectations and won 107 games. Offensively they were known for their power, but they also had one of the best overall pitching staffs that year. A big part of their bullpen was left-hander Jake McGee.
After having an extraordinary 2020 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jake McGee decided to stay in the National League West and signed with the Giants. In 2021, he was their closer and converted on 31 of 36 save opportunities. Over 62 appearances, he finished the year with a 2.72 ERA.
Unfortunately, 2022 has been McGee’s worst statistical season throughout his 13-year MLB career. In just 21.1 innings pitched he has given up 17 earned runs. This equates to a 7.17 ERA. As a result, he was designated for assignment by the Giants just prior to the All-Star break.
According to Ken Rosenthal, the Milwaukee Brewers have signed McGee to a major league deal.
McGee will join the Brewers bullpen that currently consists of left-handers Josh Hader, Hoby Milner, Brent Suter and intermittently Aaron Ashby depending on his role. He will certainly have to earn his opportunities out of the bullpen. If he can perform well, this could be a high-reward signing for the Brewers.
Last year, the Brewers turned around Hunter Strickland’s season. The Brewers pitching staff does have a knack for getting the most out of pitchers, so hopefully McGee can be the latest player to add to that list.
With the August 2 trade deadline looming, the Brewers should make some bigger moves soon. While this signing may go down as small, the benefits could be huge later on.
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