SF Giants will only have one unrestricted free agent this offseason

The SF Giants have a roster crunch looming, and that will not be alleviated all that much by free agency. In fact, JT Brubaker is the only player slated to hit free agency this offseason.

The actual number will change, as the Giants will need to bring back 17 players from the 60-day injured list. They have a handful of arbitration-eligible players, and they hold a club option on veteran reliever Rowan Wick.

Brubaker will not be the only Giants player to reach free agency this offseason, but at the moment, he is the only player scheduled to hit free agency. At the trade deadline, the Giants shipped nearly all of their expiring contracts, including Luis Arráez, Tyler Mahle, and Robbie Ray.

In a bit of a surprise, Brubaker was the only Giants player on an expiring deal who was not traded. Presumably, if there was any level of interest, he would have been moved before the trade deadline.

Brubaker joined the Giants on a minor league deal late in the 2025 season. He made five appearances down the stretch for the club. The right-handed pitcher was among the few Giants players eligible for arbitration last offseason. Surprisingly, he was the only player from that group tendered a contract for this season.

JT Brubaker put up quality numbers for the SF Giants, but he was not particularly effective

At the non-tender deadline, the Giants agreed to a $1.8 million salary with Brubaker. For a middle reliever, that is not a steep price, but they could have reallocated that money elsewhere.

Nevertheless, Brubaker was brought back for the 2026 season, and was part of a unit that struggled mightily, especially with the lead late in the game. He was rarely used in high-leverage spots, so at the very least, he can say that he did not contribute to the bullpen's struggles in that way.

Brubaker pitched to a 3.58 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 1.24 WHIP, 5.8 K/9, and a 1.50 SO/W rate in 60.1 innings with the Giants. He did not strike out a lot of hitters and allowed a few too many free passes, but he was competent at run prevention. That said, his 5.03 xERA and 5.00 xFIP suggest a bit of good fortune.

The 32-year-old reliever finished the season on the injured list after sustaining a rib injury. Given the role he fulfilled, there is a good chance that he will not be back next season. However, he holds an interesting footnote for the Giants at the start of the offseason, as the only unrestricted free agent.

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