The SF Giants avoided arbitration with right-handed reliever Tyler Rogers on Thursday. A source informed Giants Baseball Insider that the two sides agreed to a one-year, $3.2 million. The Giants had already finalized deals with first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr., second baseman Thairo Estrada earlier in the day. Rogers has received a significant raise in his second year of arbitration eligibility. His salary was $1.675 million in 2023.
Rogers spent 2023 as one of the most reliable members of the Giants' bullpen. The right-handed submariner finished the season with a 3.04 ERA (2.69 xERA, 3.76 FIP, 4.13 xFIP) across 74 innings pitched with 60 strikeouts and 19 walks. While his twin brother Taylor Rogers and other veteran relievers struggled with inconsistency, Tyler Rogers was easily the most consistent setup option ahead of closer Camilo Doval.
Rogers was drafted by the Giants in the 10th round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Austin Peay State. The funky reliever dominated his way through the minor-league ranks, but faced skepticism about how his unique soft-tossing profile would play in the big leagues. Despite solid performances in the pitcher-friendly Pacific Coast League, Rogers did not receive a big-league call up by the Giants nor was he selected by another team in the Rule 5 Draft.
However, after his fourth season at Triple-A in 2019, Rogers finally got the call. He was excellent in a short MLB stint and has since emerged as one of the most underrated setup relievers in the game. Despite only 207 strikeouts in 276.1 career innings pitched in the majors, Rogers' unique arm angle and pitch mix has allowed him to induce enough soft contact to be successful. His career 2.96 ERA, after all, is a testament to how effective he has been as a member of the SF Giants bullpen.
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