Gio stated before the season to Dusty that he wanted to be an All-Star in his hometown of Miami. Gio has a 12 mill option for 2018 that is guaranteed if he hits 180 IP. However, he's set to become a free agent in 2019 regardless at the age of 33. So, he has to be motivated for one last big contract to close his career.
Last year Gio came out similarly and then was bad. However, the last few seasons his peripherals seemed to show he wasn't quite as bad as the ERA indicated. The fastball isn't what it was in his prime, but Gio does seem a bit more in control of his emotions at this stage in his career.
Last year we won the NL East with Strasburg healthy only half the season, Gio being bad most of the year, and Ross also missing a lot of time. We were plugging in guys for 2 of the 5 rotation spots and a 3rd starter, Gio, was sub par.
This lineup is going to be better than last season barring major health issues. If Strasburg can stay healthy and Gio can be improved, then the rotation also will be better. We'll see how the bullpen settles.