One contract detail that should solidify veteran hurler's chances of making SF Giants roster

If you are trying to predict what the SF Giants Opening Day bullpen might look like, JT Brubaker is one name that should be in the conversation. The veteran hurler has one advantage over the rest of the group, and that he is under a guaranteed contract for this season.

One contract detail that should solidify veteran hurler's chances of making SF Giants roster

Brubaker joined the Giants on a minor league deal this past August. By the time September rolled around, he was on the major league club.

The right-handed hurler made only five appearances for San Francisco, pitching to a 4.26 ERA with 12 strikeouts and three walks in 12.2 innings. He was entering his final year of arbitration in the offseason, and MLB Trade Rumors projected that he would earn $2.1 million.

That was not a large amount in a baseball sense, but it requires a decision to be made. Joey Lucchesi and Andrew Knizner were also eligible for arbitration in the offseason. The Giants non-tendered Lucchesi and Knizner, but eventually reunited with the former on a minor league deal.

Retaining only Brubaker among the three arbitration-eligible players was not on my bingo card. That said, the Giants like his ability to miss bats at a passable rate.

Brubaker is scheduled to earn $1.8 million this season. Since he did not go to arbitration, that amount is guaranteed whether he finishes the season with the Giants or not.

Again, it is not a huge sum in a baseball sense, but it is a financial commitment nonetheless. Agreeing to terms with an arbitration-eligible player and then cutting ties with him before the season began would be quite rare. There are exceptions to this, but it is uncommon.

This should bode well for Brubaker's chances of making the club. He has pitched to a 4.89 ERA across four major league seasons, most notably with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 32-year-old pitcher came up as a starter, but has shifted to the bullpen in recent seasons.

The Giants may need to leverage Brubaker's ability to start at some point in 2026. They have quite a few durability question marks behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, and will need to fill those gaps with their internal depth.

To Brubaker's credit, he has pitched well enough to make the club, even if he is not necessarily competing for a roster spot. He has tallied a 3.00 ERA with nine strikeouts and seven walks in nine Cactus League innings.