SF Giants bolster bullpen depth from the left side, add veteran reliever to major league deal

Ryan Borucki was released by the Chicago White Sox on Friday, but his foray into free agency did not last long. The veteran reliever has agreed to a major league deal with the SF Giants, per Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News.

SF Giants bolster bullpen depth from the left side, add veteran reliever to major league deal

In a corresponding roster move, Hayden Birdsong was tranferred to the 60-day injured list. The young pitcher opted to undergo Tommy John surgery after experiencing forearm discomfort. His season is over.

Borucki was not the only veteran player released by the White Sox this weekend. Former Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. was also let go by the club.

Wade Jr. put up a 1.034 OPS with three home runs and nine RBI in 49 plate appearances this spring. This is a promising enough performance to land with another organization, even if it might be on a minor league deal.

Borucki joins a crowded group of left-handed relievers. When the Giants began last season, Erik Miller was effectively the only southpaw reliever in the bullpen. He has plenty of company now.

Miller and Borucki will likely be joined by Matt Gage on the left side of the bullpen to start the year. The Giants have not finalized the Opening Day roster yet, but Gage was quietly one of the more effective relievers in camp, pitching to a 2.84 ERA with nine strikeouts and zero walks across 6.1 Cactus League innings.

The Giants also have Sam Hentges and Joey Lucchesi in camp. Hentges joined the Giants on a major league deal in the offseason. He is being slow-played after undergoing shoulder and knee surgery in 2024 and 2025, respectively. The veteran reliever has not appeared in a game yet this spring, so he still faces a lengthy process before returning to game action.

On the other hand, Lucchesi rejoined the Giants on a minor league deal earlier in March. He only made a handful of appearances after inking the deal, but had been throwing in a free-agent camp before the transaction.

Borucki has posted a 4.28 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 1.29 WHIP, 7.5 K/9, and a 2.21 SO/W ratio across eight major league seasons. This includes a solid 48.3 percent ground ball rate, along with a limiting left-handed hitters to a career .528 OPS.

The lefty reliever throws from a low, three-quarters arm slot. He throws a low 90's fastball with a mid-80's slider and a low 80's splitter. The slider is his primary pitch, but he throws the sinker to induce ground ball contact. The splitter has been added to his arsenal in recent seasons.

There is a good chance that Borucki joins Matt Gage as a situational lefty in the bullpen. The Giants might need to elevate Erik Miller into more of a leverage role.