The SF Giants will need to fill at least two bullpen roles this offseason

The SF Giants will look to add a high-leverage reliever this offseason, but they should have one more move to make. In addition to filling that role, they will also need another left-handed reliever.

These are often different roles within the bullpen. While someone like Adrián Morejón of the San Diego Padres seemingly fills both needs, it would not quite work out that way. Presumably, Morejón would serve as the setup man or closer, but teams usually need at least two situational lefties in a bullpen. That situational role is more fluid and needs-based, whereas a closer or setup man is a more concrete role.

They are extremely light on depth and experience from that side of the bullpen. Sam Hentges leads the group in experience, followed by Matt Gage. Seth Lonsway, Reiver Sanmartín, César Perdomo, and Matt Wilkinson are in the mix as well.

However, there is not a lot of proven depth from that unit. Hentges has appeared in parts of five major league seasons. He was often used with runners on base to get a tough, left-handed hitter out, but struggled on more than one front in that role.

SF Giants relievers were not particularly effective against left-handed hitters in 2026

Notably, the southpaw reliever struggled to throw strikes, so while he came in with inherited runners, his poor control often made those situations worse. Plus, he had extreme platoon splits, with left-handed hitters posting a .792 OPS against him in 2026. That said, Hentges has generally been more effective against same-sided hitters throughout his career, so that trend should revert back to normal.

Gage was relatively effective in the second half of 2025, but struggled this past season before landing on the injured list with an elbow strain. The initial prognosis sounded like he might need surgery, but he did make a few rehab appearances before being shut down for good.

Outside of Hentges and Gage, the experience and performance drop off considerably. Seth Lonsway, Reiver Sanmartín, César Perdomo, and Matt Wilkinson all appeared in 2026, but no one from the group separated themselves. The Giants will want a strong depth chart from the left side.

Similar to the rest of the bullpen, the Giants cannot return many of the same faces from this year and hope for better results. The non-tender deadline will be a good indicator of the type of work the Giants plan to do to the bullpen this offseason. That deadline also might be why an overhaul is unlikely, as many of this year's relievers are projected to be on affordable deals in 2027.

The Giants will need a reliever or two who can perform in lefty matchups next season. Aside from Erik Miller, they did not really have that last year, and now Miller is gone. The Giants have a few internal options to consider, but they should bring in at least one non-closing left-handed reliever to add some competition to the mix.

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