Ranking SF Giants free agents in order of how likely they are to re-sign for 2026

MLB free agency has arrived, and with that, the SF Giants are slated to lose four veterans to free agency in 2025. Let's rank each Giant based on how likely they are to re-sign with the team in 2026.

Ranking SF Giants free agents in order of how likely they are to re-sign for 2026

1. Justin Verlander, SP

It feels like Verlander is the most likely Giants free agent to come back to the team in 2026. That's on the condition that he wants to play in 2026 and that they are willing to bring him back. If both sides are willing to negotiate, it feels like a reunion will happen. There probably aren't many other teams looking to sign the veteran, and Verlander probably does not want to move across the country again, after moving from Houston to New York, then back to Houston, and then to San Francisco in the past few years.

Verlander obviously struggled early in the season, so it would make sense if the Giants were ready to cut the veteran starter loose. But he pulled it together in the second half of the season, and was arguably the team's best starter down the stretch in September.

His age and cost do play a factor, but there is a good argument that the Giants should bring Verlander back in 2026.

2. Dom Smith, 1B/OF/DH

Dom Smith was a solid acquisition for the Giants in 2025. He hit for a .750 OPS, almost entirely serving as a platoon option against right-handed pitchers.

It's never a bad idea to have a guy on the bench who can play multiple positions and crushes right-handed pitching. Smith would also be cheap, which makes it an easy decision to bring him back, if he is interested.

3. Tom Murphy, C

It feels like Murphy's time in San Francisco might be done. The Giants brought Murphy in with a clear need for an offense-first catcher. Murphy was in Seattle. He posted 5.2 bWAR and a 116 OPS+ over four years with the Mariners as a backup catcher. In San Francisco, however, he struggled in 2024 and missed the entire 2025 season.

The Giants do still need a catcher with a good bat, but it's hard to imagine they turn back to Murphy to fill that gap.

4. Wilmer Flores, UTL/DH

Flores is probably on his way out of San Francisco after struggling in the second half of 2025. He was worth 0.3 bWAR in 2025, after being worth -0.6 bWAR in 2024. Put together, he's been below-replacement level throughout the past two seasons.

Flores has been a great team player for the past six years in San Francisco, but it's time for the Giants to move on from the 33-year-old.

Really, the only two reunions that make sense are with Verlander and Smith so we will see if the Giants do end up bringing either of those players back in 2026.