Handy SF Giants bullpen find likely just clinched a spot on next year’s roster

There have not been a ton of positive stories about the SF Giants’ bullpen this season, but Dylan Smith’s performance on Wednesday might have been the best individual bullpen performance of the year.

While Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson got all of the headlines with his MLB debut and Adrian Houser did the bulk of the work by pitching five scoreless innings, Smith came in and got a six-out save in a 1-0 game while striking out five batters.

That’s one heck of a performance by a guy who has easily been one of the best pickups of the year. The Giants got him from the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations and whatever they paid it must look like a bargain right now.

Smith has a 2.73 ERA on the year with 33 strikeouts and 12 walks in 26 and 1/3 innings pitched. He’s essentially the team’s closer right now even if he hasn’t been officially named to that role. While he has blown some games this year and has converted only three of five save opportunities, he’s clearly the best option the Giants have to close games the rest of this season and he has definitely come in handy.

While he probably shouldn’t be the team’s primary closer next season, he has done enough this year to be part of next year’s bullpen, maybe as a setup man for the team.

Dylan Smith should factor into Giants' 2027 bullpen plans

Randy Rodríguez is set to come back next season and as of right now he’s probably the favorite to be the team’s closer. He was arguably the team’s best reliever last year and made the All-Star Game before he had to undergo Tommy John surgery, but it’s worth remembering he struggled in the closer role before he got hurt.

The Giants would probably be wise to bring in a reliever or two who could handle ninth inning duties so Rodríguez can ease his way back into things. Perhaps Smith could factor into a sort of closer-by-committee plan early in the year before Rodríguez takes over at some point.

Whatever role he fills, Smith deserves to be part of next year’s bullpen plan. It’s odd why the Giants haven’t been more active scooping up relievers in waivers and seeing if they could be part of the bullpen equation. They just claimed Philip Abner so maybe there’s a recognition that they need to be more active on the waiver wire.

Smith was a great find and the Giants should try to replicate that blueprint as they look to rebuild the bullpen going into next season.

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