Saturday, November 01

The Giants took care of their first piece of offseason business by naming former University of Tennessee coach Tony Vitello as their new manager last week. 

Now that Vitello is in place, the Giants should be ready to turn their attention toward building a more competitive roster once free agency opens next month. 

Here’s a handy list of frequently asked questions to get you primed for the start of Hot Stove season: 

What are the key dates?

• First day after the World Series ends: Eligible players become free agents. This marks the beginning of the “quiet period,” a five-day window during which teams can exclusively negotiate with their own free agents. The trade freeze is lifted, allowing players to be dealt between clubs. 

• Five days after the World Series ends: The deadline for clubs to extend qualifying offers (valued at $22.025 million for 2026) and for teams and players to make decisions on contract options. It’s also the end of the quiet period, meaning free agents will be eligible to sign with any club beginning at 2 p.m. PT.  

• Nov. 10-13: GM Meetings in Las Vegas. 

• Nov. 18: The deadline for players to accept a qualifying offer is 1 p.m. PT. Reserve lists are also due, meaning teams will have to decide which players to add to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.

• Nov. 21: The deadline for teams to tender 2026 contracts to unsigned players, including their players eligible for salary arbitration. If a player is non-tendered, he becomes a free agent.

• Dec. 8-11: Winter Meetings in Orlando, including the MLB Draft lottery on Dec. 9 and the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 10.

Which Giants players are free agents?

Right-hander Justin Verlander, infielder Wilmer Flores and first baseman Dominic Smith.  

Are any of them likely to receive qualifying offers?

No.  

Which players have contract options? 

Catcher Tom Murphy has a $4 million club option for 2026, but the Giants are expected to buy him out of that for $250,000. Murphy, 34, appeared in only 13 games in 2024 due to a knee injury and then missed the entire 2025 campaign after hurting his back during Spring Training. 

Who might be a non-tender candidate?

A trio of newcomers -- right-hander JT Brubaker, left-hander Joey Lucchesi and catcher Andrew Knizner -- will be arbitration-eligible this offseason. It seems unlikely that they’ll all be back next year. Lucchesi is the best bet to remain in the fold, as he logged a 3.76 ERA over 38 relief appearances in 2025.

Who needs to be added to the 40-man roster this winter to avoid the Rule 5 Draft?

Here’s a list of notable prospects who could be in the mix to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft this year: 

• 2B Diego Velasquez (the Giants' No. 22 prospect, per MLB Pipeline)

• RHP Gerelmi Maldonado (No. 23)

• RHP Will Bednar

• 2B Nate Furman

• RHP Spencer Miles

• LHP Juan Sanchez

• RHP Braxton Roxby

• OF Victor Bericoto

Reggie Crawford, the Giants’ 2022 first-round Draft pick, will also be Rule 5-eligible. He isn’t expected to be added to the 40-man roster since he hasn’t pitched since 2023 and recently underwent a second surgery on his left shoulder.

What kind of help do the Giants need, and whom might they target in free agency?

The biggest priority for the Giants will be to replenish their pitching depth. They’ll be in the market for starting and relief help. Possible free-agent targets include Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Ranger Suárez and Max Scherzer, who was coached by Vitello at the University of Missouri. San Francisco could also explore upgrades at second base, the corner outfield and backup catcher.

“I think he’s kind of like a Swiss Army Knife in terms of leadership. He knows how to get the most out of each player. I think that’s his biggest strength. He is the best motivator I’ve ever been around. He knows how to get people to buy in. He does it in a way that’s a blend of an old-school, new-school sort of mentality. He just toes the line of player to coach so well. I’ve never seen anybody be able to do that. It’s super impressive.

"It’s an energy that’s so organic. It’s nothing fake, nothing forced. It’s real. It’s intense. I think a lot of people have a misconception that it’s this rah-rah stuff. Don’t get it twisted, man. He has a high level of expectation for each player.” -- Drew Gilbert on Vitello’s leadership style

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