SF Giants have already quietly filled three needs this offseason

SF Giants fans are waiting for the front office to make its big move this offseason. In the meantime, they have quietly filled three needs.

SF Giants have already quietly filled three needs this offseason

Starting pitching remains the biggest need. They still have a lot of work to do in the bullpen, too. More recently, they have been connected to a pair of position players in Cody Bellinger and Brendan Donovan.

1. Right-handed-hitting fourth outfielder

The Giants have a lot of outfielders on the 40-man roster, but few with a clear path to a role in 2026. There should be further turnover in this area, but that process has begun after losing Marco Luciano to the Pittsburgh Pirates on a waiver claim.

The Giants have added Justin Dean and Joey Wiemer this offseason, both of whom raise the defensive floor of that unit. Dean is a glove-first outfielder with above-average speed, but not much offensive upside.

On the other hand, Wiemer has modest power, the ability to play all three outfield positions, and leverage against left-handed pitching. Depending on what the Giants do this offseason, he should see some at-bats in center field to give Jung Hoo Lee a day off when a tough lefty is on the mound.

2. Backup catcher

The Giants created a need for a backup catcher when they non-tendered Andrew Knizner. To some extent, they filled that need by trading for Daniel Susac.

The young backstop was a Rule 5 pick by the Minnesota Twins, so he is still bound to those rules. He needs to make the club out of camp and stick on the roster throughout the year. The Giants should make one more depth move to compete with Susac and Jesús Rodríguez for playing time.

Susac is a quality receiver, with a strong arm, and modest power upside. His profile is not too different from Knizner, but he has the ability to hit for a tad more power. Not that non-tendering Knizner was financially motivated but the Giants could save a few dollars by replacing him with Susac, who will make the league minimum in 2026.

3. Another left-handed reliever

The Giants quietly built up some bullpen depth from the left side during the 2025 season. Erik Miller, Matt Gage, and Joey Lucchesi were penciled to fill that unit.

In a bit of a surprise, the Giants non-tendered Lucchesi November. They replaced him with Sam Hentges. Miller will likely be the top option against left-handed hitters next season, but Hentges should be able to fill some leverage innings as well.

The Giants also added Reiver Sanmartin in a waiver claim from the Cincinnati Reds. Both Sanmartin and Hentges have posted high ground ball rates throughout their career, and that is a style that should mesh well with a solid group of defensive infielders.