Dodgers: Sizing Up the NL West Competition- Giants

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SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 20: Tony Watson of the San Francisco Giants poses on photo day during MLB Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium on February 20, 2018, in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

The Giants’ pitching staff was nothing special in 2017. They lost Madison Bumgarner early in the year to a dirt bike accident and like Bumgarner’s bike, things seemed to crash once the young ace went down.

But, one of the Giants biggest issues last year was not the rotation but rather the bullpen, a group that combined for the most blown saves in all of baseball. So, with that in mind, I picked the newly added Tony Watson as my pitcher to watch.

Watson, the former Dodger, has closing experience. He served as the closer for the Pirates for a season and when he was not the closer he was the setup man in front of Mark Melancon. History would align to reunite Watson and Melancon who was once the best eighth-ninth inning duos in the league.

Watson is the pitcher to watch because he is capable of bridging the gap to the closer, a job the Giants could not get done in 2017. If Watson is successful in his role, the 32-year-old lefty could make a huge impact in San Francisco all while pitching in front of his former closer with the Pirates.

If Watson pitches well, the Giants could be in good shape.

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