Giants Offseason Signing Shows Drastically Improved Velocity In Spring Debut

The San Francisco Giants made a significant bet on left-handed starting pitcher Sean Manaea this offseason, signing him to a two-year, $25 million contract with an opt-out after the 2023 season.

The club had reason to feel confident in Manaea after his impressive debut in a Giants uniform during spring training. In the outing against the Cincinnati Reds, Manaea allowed only one run on three hits with two strikeouts.

The most significant aspect of Manaea's performance, however, was his improved velocity.

He showed an uptick in velocity on his sinker, a pitch that has consistently sat between 90-92 mph throughout his career. During his first official outing of the year, Manaea said his fastball was clocked between 93-96 mph, up from the 88-90 mph range at this point last year.

This increase in velocity can be attributed to Manaea's offseason training at Driveline he said, a baseball training facility known for its focus on advanced data and technology.

Sean Manaea said he was 93-96 mph in his two innings today. He was 88-90 at the start of last spring. Said he can feel a difference after working out at Driveline in the offseason.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) February 26, 2023

While Manaea has never been known for his velocity, his ability to hold mid-90s velocity throughout the 2023 season could signal the potential for a bounce-back year. Over his career, he has posted a 4.06 ERA in nearly 900 innings pitched.

He struggled in his lone season with the San Diego Padres in 2022, recording a career-worst 4.96 ERA in 30 appearances, including 28 starts.

Sean Manaea looked sharp in his #SFGiants debut: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K, 0 BB. The one run shouldn't have been earned. Mitch Haniger misplayed a popfly in left.

— Evan Webeck (@EvanWebeck) February 26, 2023

Despite this, advanced metrics suggest that Manaea suffered from some bad luck, and his xERA, FIP, and xFIP were all significantly lower than his ERA.

#SFGiants pitcher Sean Manaea was throwing 94-96 mph with his fastball in his first spring training start, per @susanslusser. He averaged 91 mph last year.

Alex Cobb was consistently throwing a career-high 97-mph last year. Gausman, DeSclafani before.

The lab is thriving.

— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) February 26, 2023

Overall, if Manaea is able to maintain his newfound velocity throughout the 2023 season, he could be in for a bounce-back year.

The Giants, who have a high degree of injury risk in their starting rotation, need a durable arm like Manaea to remain competitive. While his role on the team is still uncertain, if Manaea continues to perform well, it will be tough to keep him out of the starting rotation. 

 Photo Credit:  Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK