One trait the SF Giants desperately need to target to upgrade the bullpen

A good bullpen strikes out way more batters than they walk. If you have watched the SF Giants bullpen this season, you know by now that they do not have a good bullpen, and a low SO/W rate should be a relatively easy trait to upgrade.

It bears mentioning that the Giants should probably also target better relievers. However, targeting relievers can be tricky. Chasing topline numbers such as ERA is often an exercise in futility, as relievers tend to demonstrate a wide variance in year-over-year results.

Chasing traits is not a bad process. The Giants often target high ground ball rates when they look at prospective pitcher additions. That is a solid trait to seek, and one that tends to play well at any ballpark.

The Giants bullpen has done well in that category, as they have a 44.4 percent ground ball rate. They are eighth among major league bullpens in ground ball rate.

The SF Giants have too much of the same pitcher in the bullpen

Perhaps, a subtle critique of their current bullpen is that they have too much of that trait. Perhaps, they also have too much of the same pitcher who throws a sinker-slider mix from a three-quarters arm slot.

The bullpen is not a varied group, and that is part of the problem. They are not missing a lot of bats while also giving up too many walks. They have a 1.81 SO/W rate, which is the fourth-worst mark in baseball.

Not surprisingly, the bullpens that struggle in this category are also some of the worst bullpens in baseball. The Washington Nationals are slightly ahead of the Giants with a 1.87 SO/W rate, but their 5.06 ERA is the fourth-worst in baseball.

If you are buying real estate, a low SO/W rate is an area to avoid. For reference, the average SO/W rate across the league is 2.26 in 2026.

The Giants have few relievers who are even excelling in this category, so there is plenty of room for improvement. The ones who are doing well are relievers the Giants likely view as solutions beyond 2026. This includes Adrian Houser (3.50 SO/W), Caleb Kilian (2.67 SO/W), Dylan Smith (2.60 SO/W), and Keaton Winn (2.60 SO/W).

The caveat with Houser is that he could move back to the rotation at some point. The shift to the bullpen has led to better results, but the veteran hurler was enthused by pitching out of the bullpen in the first place.

The rest of the bullpen should be up for grabs. To fill those spots, the Giants should be targeting stuff and a higher SO/W rate. It may not lead to better top line numbers, but it is a better process.

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