Five biggest questions facing the Giants this offseason

The MLB offseason is here. Ahead we’ve highlighted the five biggest questions the San Francisco Giants need to answer between now and Opening Day.

In less than five months, on March 26, we will once again be able to turn on the TV and watch San Francisco Giants regular season baseball.

Between now and then, a lot has to be figured out.

Arguably the best two pitchers on the roster are now free agents, there’s a glaring lack of over-the-fence power in the lineup, the bullpen needs to be completely rebuilt, and the roster as a whole is lacking depth.

That’s to make no mention of the Bruce Bochy-sized hole on the bench or the vacant general manager seat in the front office.

Five months may sound like a long time, but the to-do list is a daunting one.

There’s also the question of what direction this team is headed in the short-term.

The farm system has come a long way in the past year and the team has seemingly made a concerted effort to get younger while also freeing up payroll space.

At the same time, the decision to hold onto Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith at the trade deadline last year was proof the team is not solely focused on the future, so an offseason of searching for short-term upgrades that can help the team win now without bogging down the payroll could be one approach.

While a few flashy additions could make this team competitive in 2020, it’s still hard to imagine them being legitimate contenders, so the more prudent move might be to continue carving out payroll space while waiting on an intriguing batch of prospects to ascend the minor league ranks, before them making a push in free agency a few years down the line.

Regardless of the team’s long-term plans, there are some pressing matters that need to be sorted out right now. So without further ado, here are the five biggest questions facing the San Francisco Giants this offseason.