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Veteran pitcher is first SF Giants player to elect free agency this offseason

Another move
ByJeff Young
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May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Jesus Rodriguez (79) celebrates with pitcher JT Brubaker (34) after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Jesus Rodriguez (79) celebrates with pitcher JT Brubaker (34) after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The SF Giants cleared quite a few roster spots last week, but another was created through free agency. JT Brubaker elected free agency, becoming the first Giants player to do so this offseason.

Electing free agency makes it sound like a discretionary choice, but that is the term baseball uses. In reality, it just means that he has accrued enough service time to hit the open market.

The Giants had a handful of players on expiring deals in 2026, but nearly all of them were traded away. Luis Arráez, Robbie Ray, and Tyler Mahle were all on expiring deals and were shipped away at the deadline.

Brubaker was the lone exception. Presumably, if there was any level of interest, he would have been traded as well.

JT Brubaker’s 2026 season was a microcosm of the SF Giants bullpen struggles

The Giants signed the right-handed pitcher to a minor league deal late in the 2025 season. He was added to the major league roster later that year and made a handful of appearances down the stretch.

Brubaker was part of a very small arbitration class last offseason for the Giants. This class also included Andrew Knizner and Joey Lucchesi. In a bit of a surprise, the Giants non-tendered both of those players but agreed to terms on a deal for 2026 with Brubaker.

The 32-year-old pitcher was relatively effective out of the bullpen. He posted a 3.58 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 1.24 WHIP, 5.8 K/9, and a 1.50 SO/W rate across 60.1 innings. While the top-line results were solid, he was rarely used in leverage spots for a bullpen that had few reliable relievers.

The Giants’ bullpen struggled to strike out opposing hitters and limit the walks. Brubaker’s 2026 campaign mirrored that, as he had below-average strikeout and walk rates.

The bullpen could use a lot of help this offseason, and should be one of the priorities to address by the front office. That unit had the lowest strikeout rate at 7.55 K/9, and one of the highest walk rates at 4.20 BB/9. These should be relatively easy benchmarks to upgrade, especially the walk rate.

The Giants need relievers who can throw strikes, and Brubaker did not do enough of that last season. They could bring him back on a minor league deal, but it feels like they should target pitchers with better stuff and control.

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