SF Giants' plan (or lack thereof) in right field is slowly becoming self-evident

Coming into the offseason, the SF Giants seemed to have a gaping hole in right field just waiting to be filled. Now, it seems like the team's plan is becoming clearer which may not be much of a plan at all.

The Giants have been linked to some outfielders on the market like slugger Cody Bellinger and the defensively gifted Harrison Bader. The white whale that is Kyle Tucker is still out there as well.

Yet, it does not feel like the Giants are going to make a big splash in the outfield. That means they are probably going to have to rely on the young guys.

SF Giants may just roll with the young guys in right field

Modesty has been the theme of San Francisco's offseason thus far, as the acquisitions they have made amount to minor signings and two mid-tier starting pitchers in Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle.

The front office has made it clear that they do not plan to spend a ton this offseason which means the Giants may very well just decide to run it back with the likes of Drew Gilbert, Luis Matos, and Jerar Encarnacion who all spent time in right field late last season after the team traded away Mike Yastrzemski.

Gilbert provided a lot of energy and was very solid defensively but he left a lot to be desired at the plate. He slashed just .190/.248/.350 with three home runs and 13 runs batted in which is just not going to cut it.

Luis Matos got hot for a week later in the season like he always does before cooling off again and then eventually being demoted. He is out of minor league options so 2026 is really going to be his make-or-break year to see if he can last at the big league level.

Encarnacion got hot a few times in 2025, once in spring training and then again in August but both times he was derailed by injury. The raw power is there and he has shown what he can do when swinging a hot bat, but his health is a big question entering next season.

If the Giants do indeed roll into 2026 with those three guys as their best three options in right field, they could be in a lot of trouble. Maybe they will make a move, but it is trending towards the team opting for a youthful approach to right field which certainly carries a lot of risk.