Surprising number of MLB insiders view SF Giants as most-improved NL team

The SF Giants enter the 2026 season with a new coaching staff and some new faces on the roster, but they still feel like they are a team destined to finish around .500 if you ran the season through a simulator.

That is why it was a bit of a surprise that a number of MLB insiders said that they viewed the Giants as the most improved team in the National League in a recent survey.

SF Giants seen by some MLB insiders as most-improved NL team

A recent survey in The Athletic interviewed 36 MLB insiders which includes former or current executives, managers, coaches, and scouts about a bevy of MLB topics ahead of spring training.

Apparently six of those interviewed said that the Giants were the most improved National League team. The New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs received the most votes in that category, but it is honestly still a little surprising that any executives said the Giants.

Perhaps this is due to living in something of an MLB bubble. When you follow one team religiously and compare its additions to rivals like the Dodgers, the offseason can seem pretty paltry. But when compared to the host of teams that really didn't do much of anything in the offseason it does not seem so bad by comparison.

President of baseball operations Buster Posey recently spoke about fan expectations versus reality when it comes to the offseason and free agency. He said that fans have to understand that teams cannot go out and sign every big free agent.

The Giants did not land a big fish free agent. One could argue they did the heavy lifting all the way back in June when they swung a trade for Rafael Devers. Still, they made smart and sensible additions that raised the roster's floor but maybe not its ceiling.

To outside observers looking at the team, those moves probably look pretty wise. Giants fans may not love signing Harrison Bader when Cody Bellinger was linked to the team or Luis Arraez when the team was rumored to have interest in Nico Hoerner, but those two guys are still solid players who figure to be more reliable contributors than the younger options at second base or in the outfield.

Maybe these voters also factored the new coaching staff into their calculus. While new manager Tony Vitello has no experience in professional baseball, perhaps his fresh perspective can raise the level of the team.

No matter what, it's a nice reminder that while many fans might consider the offseason disappointing there are others out there who think the Giants did a pretty decent job at improving.