Three relievers the SF Giants could target with high ground ball rates

On Thursday, we highlighted three starting pitchers the SF Giants could target who have high ground ball rates. Now, we are shifting gears to the bullpen.

Three relievers the SF Giants could target with high ground ball rates

Why ground ball rate? That seems to be one of the traits the Giants are targeting with pitchers this offseason. Of the few additions they have made, many have ground ball rates north of 50 percent. In 2025, the leaguewide ground ball rate was 41.8 percent, so anything above 50 percent is well above average.

1. Tyler Rogers - 62.1 percent ground ball rate

You just knew that Tyler Rogers was going to be on this list. He was sixth among qualified relievers with a 62.1 percent ground ball rate last season. Adding him would be a rare, midseason trade away that leads to a reunion.

Giants fans know Rogers well. He is durable, reliable, and effective. That type of combination is hard to come by with relievers. It is also why Rogers should have a broad market this offseason. Every good bullpen needs a reliever like Rogers.

2. Brad Keller - 56.5 percent ground ball rate

Brad Keller is reportedly drawing interest as a starter, per Joel Sherman of The New York Post. However, if he remains as a reliever, he could be an intriguing, leverage option for a lot of teams. He came up as a starter, but he had not been effective for several seasons before seeing more time out of the bullpen.

Keller pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen with the Chicago Cubs in 2025. He put up some solid numbers, recording a 2.07 ERA, 2.93 FIP, 0.96 WHIP, 9.7 K/9, and a 3.41 SO/W rate across 69.2 innings. Plus, he does a nice job at keeping the ball on the ground. The righty pitcher might be a more affordable option for teams, given the lack of a consistent track record.

3. Sean Newcomb - 46.9 percent ground ball rate

Speaking of reunions (sort of), Sean Newcomb put together a strong season in a multi-inning bullpen role for the Boston Red Sox and A's in 2025. Newcomb pitched in the Giants organization in 2023, but was shipped to the A's in a rare trade between the former crosstown rivals.

Newcomb tallied a 2.73 ERA across 92.1 frames this season. He throws from the left side, and the Giants already have several southpaw relievers, including Erik Miller, Matt Gage, and Sam Hentges. Similar to Keller, Newcomb could be a lower-cost option to bolster the bullpen, and gets a healthy number of ground balls.