SF Giants have a massive roster hole to fill in the offseason

The SF Giants will have a lot of rotation spots to fill in the offseason. After the latest spate of injuries, they will not have much internal depth to rely on.

Over the past six months, Hayden Birdsong and Trevor McDonald have undergone elbow surgery. Surgery has been recommended for Carson Whisenhunt, but these decisions often incorporate a second opinion.

McDonald had some bright spots this year, but finished with an ERA over five. Whisenhunt struggled during his audition. Monday’s start was one of the best he had before sustaining a UCL tear.

Birdsong underwent surgery at the start of this season, so he could be available at some point next year. The most optimistic timeline is by May of 2027. Time could work against McDonald and Whisenhunt for next year.

SF Giants may just need innings eaters in next year’s starting rotation

None of the three had pitched well enough to carve out a role in a future rotation, but they could fill the gaps if the need arose. They were on the depth chart, even if they held spots beyond the top five starters.

That depth chart has taken a hit. It could take an even bigger hit depending on Adrian Houser’s status. Houser departed Tuesday after experiencing arm tightness, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. He is set to get an MRI.

This could be an odd offseason for the Giants. The potential lockout could complicate things, but they have a lot of holes to fill on the pitching staff. They will also flirt with 100 losses this year, so that could influence their approach in free agency.

Do they shop at the top of the market in a class that is light on pitchers outside of Tarik Skubal? That seems unlikely, and given the outcome of this year, they may pursue a reset or retool, even if they do not call it that. Their actions will say more than their words.

If the Giants draw up next year’s rotation, Logan Webb would headline that unit. Landen Roupp has shown enough to hold a rotation spot, even if he is leaking oil as the season progresses.

Depending on Adrian Houser’s status, he could slot into a rotation spot. That is it. The Giants will have multiple spots to fill, along with rebuilding depth.

That is a lot of work to do in one offseason. That work may not even be intended to build a rotation that can compete, but to have enough coverage for 162 games. Unfortunately, the Giants have no other choice. The latest spate of injuries has eroded their depth.

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