The SF Giants have made their need plain: they need someone who can finish games. President of baseball operations Buster Posey has already said the club will make finding a closer a priority this offseason, and after the way the team handled ninth-inning leads in 2026, that mission is hard to ignore.
But the wish list and the shopping list are two very different things. Names like David Bednar and Adrian Morejon are the kind of arms that get fans dreaming, but both would come at a steep price.
On top of that, each received a qualifying offer, which means signing either one would cost the Giants draft compensation and international bonus pool money. For a team coming off such a bad season, that makes the path to either pitcher even narrower.
So if San Francisco is going to fill the role, the more likely answer may come from a different tier of the market. Here are five closer options that look more realistic for the Giants.
Raisel Iglesias sits near the top of that group. The 36-year-old was an All-Star for the Atlanta Braves in 2026 and has stacked up 29 or more saves in every season since 2023.
Over that stretch, he has posted a combined regular season ERA of 2.60. MLB Trade Rumors projects him for a one-year, $17 million deal, and one of their writers even has him landing with the Giants.
It might take closer to $20 million to pull him away from Atlanta, but he is still one of the more believable targets on the board.
Kenley Jansen brings the kind of résumé that almost sells itself. If he pitches again next year, he could reach his 500th career save; he currently sits at 498.
The Detroit Tigers declined his option, pushing him into free agency, and he turned in a respectable 2026 with a 3.20 ERA in 45 innings while converting 22 of 28 save chances. A one-year deal in the $10-12 million range could be enough to land him, and it would feel a lot like the Giants signing Justin Verlander in 2025 - only this time, it would be for the back end of the bullpen.
Emilio Pagan is another name that fits the middle of the market. Over the last two seasons, he has been steady in the ninth inning, saving 32 games with a 2.88 ERA in 2025 and following that with a 3.38 ERA and 25 saves in 2026. He turned down his $10 million player option with the Cincinnati Reds, so a Giants offer in the $12 or $13 million range could put him in play.
Pete Fairbanks is a tougher evaluation because of how uneven 2026 was. He posted a 6.31 ERA with the Miami Marlins after being excellent as Tampa Bay’s closer from 2023 to 2025, when he racked up 75 saves and a 2.98 ERA. He likely wouldn’t cost a fortune, with an $8-10 million range seeming possible, but that rough season would hang over any pursuit.
Carlos Estevez may be the most intriguing gamble of the bunch. He was an All-Star for the Kansas City Royals in 2025, when he finished with 42 saves and a 2.45 ERA.
Then 2026 went sideways fast: he made one appearance, recorded just one out, gave up six earned runs, landed on the IL with a foot issue, and later suffered a rotator cuff injury during rehab that ended his season. He is now a free agent, and while the Giants probably should not count on him as their Opening Day closer, a two-year deal could make sense if they are betting on a return to his 2025 level in 2028.
None of these names is as flashy as the top of the market, but that may be the point. If the Giants are serious about adding a closer without blowing past reason, this is the lane they are most likely to work in.
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