SF Giants have reportedly expressed interest in former NL All-Star pitcher

Over the years, the SF Giants have seen a lot of Zac Gallen. Could they sign him this offseason? According to Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants have reached out to the 2023 NL All-Star pitcher.

SF Giants have reportedly expressed interest in former NL All-Star pitcher

Slusser reported this on the Splash Hit Territory Podcast with F.P. Santangelo. It is a new podcast she co-hosts, and a great source for Giants content.

The Giants need a lot of pitching. We have been saying that all offseason. The Giants have recognized this need as well. 

In recent days, the solutions to fill that need have shifted from Tatsuya Imai of the NPB to more moderately-priced pitchers. Imai is represented by Scott Boras, and is expected to receive a sizable payday in free agency. 

The Giants have scouted Imai, but his expected payday could be beyond their comfort zone. Imai will meet with potential suitors during the winter meetings, but his negotiating window runs through January 2, 2026.

The Giants may pivot to the middle of the market. They have multiple holes to fill in the rotation, so they likely would have explored this area of the market one way or the other.

That could lead them to veteran hurler Zac Gallen. In terms of moderately-priced pitchers, he might be in the upper end of that market. Gallen has age (30) and a solid track record in his favor to receive a three-year deal, with the possibility for a fourth year on an option.

MLB Trade Rumors predicts that Gallen could see a four-year, $80 million deal this winter. Interestingly, two of their four writers predicted that Gallen would sign with San Francisco.

That sounds like a lot, both in terms of years and dollars. However, that is the rate for a mid-rotation arm.

Across seven major league season, the right-handed pitcher has tallied a 3.58 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, and a 3.27 SO/W rate. The 2025 season was not quite as strong, as he pitched to a 4.83 ERA in 33 outings for the Arizona Diamondbacks. This does include a 3.97 ERA in 13 starts in the second half of the year.

The Diamondbacks issued a qualifying offer to Gallen earlier in the offseason. He was among the nine players to reject it.

In recent offseasons, Giants have signed three players who have rejected a qualifying offer, including Matt Chapman, Blake Snell, and Willy Adames. They have to weigh whether they want to continue that strategy with Gallen. They can also fill that spot in the rotation with a pitcher who does not have draft pick and IFA capital tied to their name.