Three modestly-priced pitchers the SF Giants could target this winter

The SF Giants might not be in the market for one of the top pitchers on the market, but they could look to supplement that unit with more modestly-priced pitchers. Chris Bassitt, Merrill Kelly, and Cody Ponce fit that description.

Three modestly-priced pitchers the SF Giants could target this winter

It bears mentioning that if the Giants only end up with one, modestly-priced pitcher, it would be an underwhelming offseason. That rotation needs a lot of work to be done to remain competitive.

They will need to hedge against potential regression from Robbie Ray in the final year of his five-year, $115 million deal. Plus, they need to fill the innings that they could be losing if Justin Verlander signs elsewhere. He pitched to a 3.85 ERA across 152 frames, which is solid value and tough to replace.

1. Merrill Kelly

The Giants have seen a lot of Merrill Kelly over the years. He appeared in parts of seven seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks before a midseason trade shipped him to the Texas Rangers to finish out the year.

Kelly has pitched to a 3.24 ERA in 21 career starts against San Francisco. Overall, he has recorded a 3.77 ERA across seven major league seasons, including a respectable 3.52 ERA in 32 starts in 2025. The veteran hurler will be entering his age-37 season next year, so there is a limited ceiling on what he can expect to see in free agency. A two-year deal that pays around $13 million annually seems like a fair price.

2. Chris Bassitt

When Chris Bassitt entered free agency three offseasons ago, I thought he was a good fit for the Giants. However, the New York Mets issued him a qualifying offer that he rejected. In my view, that hurt his overall fit.

Nonetheless, he landed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a three-year, $60 million pact. That turned out to be a quality value for both sides, as Bassitt put up a 3.89 ERA and 7.3 fWAR across three seasons. He made at least 30 starts and completed 170 innings in each of those years.

Similar to Kelly, Bassitt will be entering his age-37 season in 2026, so his earnings potential is likely limited to two seasons at around $12 million annually. He was still effective, pitching to a 3.96 ERA in 32 appearances for Toronto lasty year. Bassitt could also pivot to a bullpen role after flashing a lot of intrigue in that role during the playoffs.

3. Cody Ponce

Cody Ponce has been often connected to the Giants this offseason. He originally was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers but pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates during his two-year run in the majors. Over the past four seasons, Ponce has pitched overseas.

This includes a stint with the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO in 2025. The righty pitcher registered a 1.89 ERA in 180.2 innings this past season. On May 17, 2025, he set a KBO record by notching 18 strikeouts in a game against the SSG Landers.

Kelly and Bassitt might not see more than two years in free agency, but Ponce could roll his stellar 2025 campaign into a three-year deal at an affordable rate of $12 million annually.