The San Francisco Giants would like to hold on to Mike Leake after a short time with the team in 2015, but giving a priority to another pitcher signing could open the opportunity for the St. Louis Cardinals to sign him.
The 28-year old pitcher joined the Giants last season from the Cincinnati Reds for two players, including one prospect. He started in nine games for the Giants, posting a 2-5 record with a 4.07 ERA, a slight dip in his form from his time with the Reds, but overall, he has shown he’s consistent, healthy and should be good enough for the 4th or 5th spot in a rotation.
Both he and the Giants have shown interest in carrying on with the relationship, but right now, the Giants are focusing on trying to sign Zack Greinke from the Los Angeles Dodgers, which would leave very little money for anyone else, including Leake.
This opens up an opportunity for the Cardinals and maybe other teams to swoop in and sign him, although Leake himself seems to be patient enough to wait around and see whether the Giants win their bidding war with the Dodgers for Greinke.
In six seasons, Leake has a 64-52 record with a 3.88 ERA, going just once over 200 innings (2014). He made $9.775 million last season, and is probably hoping for a long term deal that earns him at least $10 million a season.