Jordan Hicks

Hicks finally stayed healthy all year after putting on some weight last offseason to help improve his durability. The hard-throwing right-hander pitched 65.2 innings across 65 appearances between St. Louis and Toronto, both being his most since 2018. Hicks racked up a career-high 81 strikeouts with a personal-best 28.4 K% thanks to his 100.1-mph sinker, devastating sweeper (59.5% whiff rate) and occasional four-seam fastball. The 27-year-old was second in the league with 470 pitches thrown at 100 mph or greater. He induced groundballs at a 58.3% clip, and while he improved his walk rate, it was still well below average at 11.1%. Hicks recorded 12 saves last season and now has 32 for his career. However, the Giants plan to try Hicks as a traditional starter after signing him to a four-year, $44 million deal this winter. A return to high-leverage relief duty is always on the table if it doesn't pan out. Read Past Outlooks