SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The bullpen was the strength of the Giants’ roster for most of last year. Now, it’s their biggest question mark. With Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers no longer in the fold and Randy Rodríguez out with Tommy John surgery, the Giants are glaringly short on high-leverage experience heading into 2026. San Francisco tried to build more depth by signing left-hander Sam Hentges (one year, $1.4 million) and right-hander Jason Foley (one year, $2 million) to Major League deals over the offseason, but both are currently working their way back from injuries. Hentges underwent left shoulder surgery in 2024, followed by right knee surgery this past August, but he threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and should be in the Opening Day mix if he’s healthy. San Francisco will have to wait longer to activate Foley, as he’s expected to be out until midseason due to right shoulder surgery. Where does that leave the Giants’ bullpen until then? “I think there’s opportunity for a lot of guys,” president of baseball operations Buster Posey said. “It’s exciting to me to see who wants to kind of grab that opportunity and run with it. We’ve all been around baseball for a long time. I think bullpens are the one piece of the team sometimes that is really hard to predict, good or bad. You’re hopeful that some of these guys that are kind of on the fringe and maybe some of our bullpen pieces that are trying to bounce back from injury or maybe a down year can seize that opportunity.” |
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Ryan Walker should be the frontrunner to serve as the Giants’ closer, but he recorded a career-high 4.11 ERA and blew seven of his 24 save opportunities last year, so he’ll need to find a way to regain the dominance he showed in 2024, when he logged a stellar 1.91 ERA over 76 appearances. The rest of the bullpen hierarchy is unclear. Left-hander Erik Miller and righties José Buttó and Joel Peguero could be candidates to cover late innings, but the Giants might prefer to mix and match rather than have fixed roles for relievers this year. “Personally, I do think if you can find a role for guys -- we’re all somewhat creatures of habit -- that’s beneficial,” Posey said. “But at the same time, we want these pitchers to understand their role one week might look different the next week just depending on where we are with health, or where we are with who’s been used, so we’re going to need some malleability in that bullpen.” Miller, who emerged as the Giants’ top lefty option before going down with an elbow sprain last year, is used to being brought in for specific matchups and said he would be open to keeping things more fluid this season. “I want to throw as late in the game as I can, but I just want to be deployed the way they feel is the best way possible to attack a team, whether that’s versus lefties, certain innings, setting up guys,” Miller said. “It is what it is. I feel good about it. I think it will kind of sort itself out as far as where guys are throwing.” |
The Giants will have no shortage of arms to evaluate in camp, as their other bullpen hopefuls include Spencer Bivens, JT Brubaker, Reiver Sanmartin, Tristan Beck, Matt Gage, Keaton Winn and non-roster invitees Michael Fulmer and Gregory Santos. Young starters such as Hayden Birdsong, Blade Tidwell, Carson Whisenhunt and Carson Seymour could also factor into the relief mix if they’re unable to crack the starting rotation out of Spring Training. It’ll be quite the puzzle for Posey and manager Tony Vitello to figure out in the coming weeks. “I think it's pretty wide open as far as where guys might be slotted, what might be asked of them but also where guys might start the season,” Vitello said. “To me, it’s a fun situation. I’ve seen them all throw. We’ve met them all. But I think some time allowed would be good, not just for me, but for a new group of pitching coaches to really assess what we think these guys can do.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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• Top Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge will be competing for a first base/DH spot this spring, but he started to expand his versatility by taking some fly balls in left field on Wednesday. • Three-time batting champion Luis Arraez received multiyear offers from other teams over the winter, but he decided to take a one-year, $12 million deal from the Giants because they were willing to give him a chance to play second base. • Here’s an early look at how San Francisco’s Opening Day roster could shape up. |
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