Two relievers who would bring a bit more funkiness to the SF Giants bullpen

The SF Giants could use another left-handed reliever, and they could use a bit more funk in their bullpen. They can check off both boxes by adding either Tim Hill or Hoby Milner.

The Giants did not have a ton of variety in the 2026 bullpen. Many of their relievers relied primarily on a sinker-slider pitch mix and threw from a three-quarters arm slot.

That said, Wilkin Ramos, Duncan Davitt, Ryan Walker, and Trent Harris were some exceptions to this. Ramos and Davitt dropped down to a low, three-quarters arm slot, whereas Harris had one of the highest arm slots in baseball. Aside from Harris, no one from the rest of that group established themselves as a reliable reliever.

A good bullpen needs some variety to it. During the championship years, the Core Four was a good embodiment of that. Santiago Casilla, Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo, and Javier López all threw from different arm slots. That is not why they were so reliable, but it helps to change the sightlines on opposing hitters. Those four relievers did just that.

SF Giants need to bring some funkiness back to the bullpen, and two relievers check that box

Of course, the Giants had one of the most unique relievers in baseball in recent years, with Tyler Rogers. Teams struggled to prepare for him, as they could not replicate his release point with their pitching machines.

Rogers is now with the Toronto Blue Jays. While they cannot replicate all of what he brought to the table, they can try to bring in some more funkiness to the bullpen. The veteran hurler throws from a submarine-style arm slot, and has the lowest arm slot in baseball.

There are a few free-agent relievers with extremely low release points, most notably Tim Hill and Hoby Milner. Both relievers are coming off mixed seasons in 2026. This may hold appeal to a team like the Giants because, while they recognize the need to upgrade the bullpen, they may not want to go all in on that unit after a 65-win season.

Hill posted a 4.60 ERA in 67 appearances for the New York Yankees. From 2024 through 2025, he had a 3.22 ERA in 132 appearances. He throws strikes and keeps the ball on the ground. The Giants' bullpen had one of the highest walk rates, so Hill would help in that area.

Last season, Milner split his time between the Chicago Cubs and Seattle Mariners. He tallied 3.64 ERA in 44 appearances. It took a few years for his career to get going, but since 2022, he has recorded a respectable 3.56 ERA.

Hill and Milner will likely be in the market for a one-year deal in free agency. Perhaps, Milner could seek a team option for a second year, but middle relievers tend to move around baseball a lot. Neither one would change the dynamic of the Giants' bullpen, but they would help to raise the floor of a unit that struggled badly in 2026.

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