The SF Giants ought to use the rest of the year to figure out who can help in the bullpen beyond 2026

The SF Giants bullpen has been a critical roster problem this year. They can still use the remainder of this year to figure out who can help them beyond this season.

The bullpen was a liability by the end of last season, and the Giants did little to address it. They added Sam Hentges and Jason Foley, both of whom were coming off often career-altering shoulder surgery. They also signed Gregory Santos and Caleb Kilian to minor league deals.

On the surface, these were not bad moves. In fact, it was easy to see the potential value from a handful of moves around the margins. One of the qualms I have is why they did not do 10 more moves like these ones? Relievers have volatile career arcs, and you never know when one might give you a sub-3.00 ERA across 50 innings.

The SF Giants should hold an open tryout in the bullpen

If you are wondering why the Giants did not do more to bolster the bullpen, there is a long line of folks wondering the same thing. It would be hard to believe that they projected this unit to perform any differently than it has.

The Giants are past the midway point of the season. At 36-50, it is hard to believe that they will display a drastic turnaround, meaning that the focus should soon begin to shift to who can help them in the bullpen beyond this season.

If the season ended today, that would be a short list. Caleb Kilian has been tagged as the closer, and he has the stuff to be a leverage arm. In a good bullpen, he would be lower on the bullpen hierarchy.

Before Keaton Winn’s injury, he was arguably the best reliever. Similar to Kilian, he is likely lower on the bullpen hierarchy in a good bullpen. That said, both appear part of a solution.

Dylan Smith has looked competent in a limited showing. The Giants acquired him in a minor trade from the Detroit Tigers at the start of the season, which is a point I will get to in a moment.

Who can help from the left side beyond this season? Erik Miller might be the de facto option but the confidence in any of the three options, including Matt Gage and Sam Hentges, is extremely low. Maybe the best option is not on the roster at the moment.

That leaves half the bullpen that the Giants can pretty decisively conclude that they are not the solution beyond this year. It would behoove the Giants to see what other options are out there.

Smith came over to the Giants in a minor trade. Good bullpens are often rounded out with these types of moves. It should be an open tryout for a role beyond this season. Whether that is minor league free agents, waiver claims, or seeing what is available internally. The optics of churning the roster may feel too similar to the previous regime, but it can also yield productive results.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow