The Giants have a pitching problem, and it showed in 2026. Their staff finished 23rd in baseball with a 4.34 ERA, a number that simply won’t cut it in a loaded division or in the chase for a postseason berth.
That makes the offseason market worth watching, especially with free agency offering some lower-cost ways to add help. San Francisco has young offensive pieces who should matter in 2027, but the mound needs attention now. Three pitchers still active in October stand out as fits.
Nick Martinez is the kind of arm the Giants should be circling. The Rays starter has put together a renaissance season, logging 180 innings with a 3.10 ERA and a 15.1% strikeout rate. He profiles as the sort of buy-low, sell-high addition that makes sense for a club trying to strengthen its rotation without spending recklessly.
He also seems tailor-made for the role behind Logan Webb, who should be healthy and anchor the top of the staff. Martinez wouldn’t need to be the headliner. He could settle in as a solid No. 2 or No. 3, which would be a meaningful boost for a group still waiting on younger arms to develop.
Shawn Armstrong is another option worth the Giants’ attention. He turned in a 4.58 ERA over 35 1/3 innings in 2026, a mark that is high for him, but he brings a wrinkle that could be useful in San Francisco: he opened games for the Guardians before a bulk pitcher came in.
That sort of usage could give the Giants some flexibility if they need a pitcher who can start a game in front of another arm. Armstrong has also been around a long time, and that experience could matter for a staff built around younger starters.
Then there’s JoJo Romero, who could solve a different issue at the back end of the bullpen. The Giants were missing a closer, and while Romero is not one with the Brewers and was not one with the Cardinals, he is a candidate to handle the role. Between those two clubs, he posted a 3.36 ERA in 56 1/3 innings.
What makes him especially intriguing is cost. Romero should not command closer money this winter, and that could make him an appealing target. Pairing him with Camilo Doval would give the Giants a late-inning tandem that looks strong on paper.
In Other News...
Giants 2027 Lineup Projection Leaves Several Starting Jobs Up For Grabs
The Giants are already looking far beyond this season, and their early 2027 Opening Day lineup projection shows just how much can still change between now and then. Based on players currently in the organization and the assumption everyone is healthy by Opening Day, the outline includes familiar names such as Eldridge, Devers, Schmitt, Mayer, Davidson, Bader and Susac, but it also leaves plenty of room for movement as the front office continues to shape the roster.
What stands out most is how many everyday jobs are still up for grabs, with second base, left field and catcher among the spots that remain unsettled. Those positions could look very different after offseason additions, trades or medical updates, which is a reminder that even a preliminary projection is more of a snapshot than a promise. For now, the Giants have a framework, but several of the most important decisions are still waiting to be made. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Face A Real Jess Rodrguez Problem Heading Into 2027
Jess Rodrguez arrived in San Francisco in 2026 with the kind of bat that can make a team keep looking for ways to fit him into the lineup. The Giants saw enough offensive promise in his debut to know he is worth the conversation, but his path forward is more complicated because his work behind the plate and in the outfield has not yet matched what he can do at the plate.
The issue now is finding a defensive home that makes sense without blocking him from helping the major league club. Catcher is the position he knows best from the minors, yet first base and third base are largely spoken for, which leaves the Giants weighing options heading into 2027 and trying to determine where Rodrguez can eventually provide value every day. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Trade Could Haunt San Francisco Far Longer Than Fans Expected
The Rafael Devers deal was always going to be measured against more than just what the Giants got back in the moment, and the early returns have only made that harder on San Francisco. In 2025, the club sent Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, Jose Bello and prospect James Tibbs III to Boston, hoping the swap would reshape the roster in a hurry and give the lineup a marquee middle-order bat.
Instead, the long view is starting to look more complicated for the Giants. Harrison has settled in nicely with the Brewers, Hicks has taken a step forward as a reliever with the White Sox and Tibbs has been productive in the Dodgers system, which leaves San Francisco not just tracking Devers, but also wondering how much value it may have given away in the process. [Read more 🡒]