The SF Giants avoided arbitration with right-handed pitcher Jakob Junis, agreeing to a one-year, $2.8 million deal. The Giants signed Junis to a one-year, $1.75 million contract last offseason after he was non-tendered by the Kansas City Royals. Junis went on to have a resurgent 2022 campaign.
Players are subjected to several years of arbitration as part of the collective bargaining agreement between MLB and MLBPA before they reach free agency. If a team does not reach an agreement with an arbitration-eligible player, both sides will make a case for a specific salary number for an arbitrator, who will rule in one side's favor. There are obvious reasons for teams to try and avoid going to arbitration. Several players have openly discussed being hurt by arbitration proceedings, where teams are incentivized to make a case that a player is worse and deserves a lower salary.
Junis was a mainstay in the Royals starting rotation from 2017-2020, before falling out of favor with the team in 2021. Over his Kansas City tenure, Junis was a below-average pitcher, recording a 4.82 ERA (4.74 FIP) in 515.1 innings pitched with 468 strikeouts and 144 walks.
Injuries pushed Junis into the Giants rotation this past season. He posted a 4.42 ERA (3.65 FIP) in 23 appearances (17 starts), amassing 98 strikeouts in 112 innings pitched. However, he was clearly at his best as a long reliever out of San Francisco's bullpen. Entering this offseason, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi acknowledged that the team planned to utilize Junis in a swingman role.
The SF Giants have added several arms to their rotation, signing Sean Manaea and Ross Stripling. With Anthony DeSclafani expected to be back from injury in 2023, the Giants are currently slated to have six proven starters ahead of Jakob Junis on the depth chart.
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