SF Giants have more choices to remodel their bullpen after two closers opt out

Pitching is going to be a key area of emphasis for the SF Giants this offseason. In particular, the team's bullpen could use a serious remodel. The Giants just got two more choices to upgrade their bullpen as two prominent closers opted out of their contracts.

New York Mets reliever Edwin Díaz opted out of his contract and San Diego Padres reliever Robert Suarez did the same. Both would represent solid upgrades to the back end of the bullpen for San Francisco going into 2026.

SF Giants have two new closer options after opt-outs

The Giants had arguably the best bullpen in baseball in the first half of 2025. Camilo Doval, Tyler Rogers, and Randy Rodríguez were elite in late innings and Rodríguez even earned an All-Star nod for his efforts.

However, the team's precipitous slide going into the trade deadline led to Rogers and Doval being dealt and Rodríguez declined in the second half before he was shut down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

Now, going into next year the Giants will still have Ryan Walker, Spencer Bivens, and Erik Miller if he can return healthy. But beyond that they have a lot of work to do to fill out the bullpen.

Walker began the year as San Francisco's closer but lost that job after he was nowhere near as sharp as he was in 2024. After the trades and injuries, Walker was thrust back into the closer role where he struggled mightily down the stretch. He could still be an effective reliever for the team, but the Giants cannot go into 2026 with him as their closer.

That is why Suarez and Díaz are attractive options to provide some stability to the ninth inning.

Suarez has been an All-Star closer each of the last two seasons in San Diego. Over the last two years he has recorded 76 saves and has had a 2.87 ERA.

As for Díaz, he was an All-Star in 2025 and had a 1.63 ERA while recording 28 saves in 62 appearances. He has 253 career saves so he knows how to get the job done in the ninth.

They are not the only potential closer options available in free agency. There are other names out there like Devin Williams and a potential reunion with Tyler Rogers would make a lot of sense.

It is always a risk when signing a closer to a lucrative free agent contract. Giants fans need not be reminded of the disaster hat was the Mark Melancon signing as he never even really established himself as the closer and dealt with injuries throughout his Giants tenure.

However, given the state of San Francisco's bullpen they may have no other choice than to roll the dice on someone like Suarez or Díaz and hope they can be the type of reliever they have been in recent seasons.