The Giants’ leadoff problem showed up in plain numbers, and Drew Gilbert already looks like the cleanest answer they have - at least when the matchup breaks the right way.
San Francisco got almost nothing from the top of the order this season. Giants leadoff hitters produced a .296 on-base percentage, the worst mark in baseball from that spot. Gilbert gives them a real chance to stabilize it against right-handed pitching.
That split matters. Against righties, the left-handed hitter posted a .264/.357/.444 line with a 124 wRC+ in 343 plate appearances, along with a 10.5 percent walk rate.
He also fit the leadoff profile in a more subtle way: he didn’t go fishing. Gilbert’s 41.6 percent swing rate was one of the lowest on the club, and among Giants hitters with at least 100 plate appearances in 2026, only Turner Hill was lower at 39.8 percent.
He’s not just letting pitches pass him by, either. He works counts and still gets himself into good spots.
That ability to get on base is the whole point. Gilbert’s .357 on-base percentage against right-handed pitching tied Bryce Eldridge for third on the team in that split. Only Rafael Devers, at .392, and Luis Arráez, at .368, were better.
The catch is obvious: the Giants won’t be seeing right-handers every night. Against left-handed pitching, they’ll need another name in the leadoff spot, and that’s a problem they’ll have to sort out this offseason.
As a team, they struggled badly against southpaws, and the search for a platoon partner could come from inside the organization or through trades or free agency. Jonah Cox offered a dynamic look, even with a strikeout rate close to 40 percent.
The Giants cycled through a long list of options at the top. Willy Adames, Jung Hoo Lee, and Arráez led the club in plate appearances as the leadoff hitter, and more than 15 players got a turn there.
None of it really stuck. Adames and Lee are likely better fits lower in the order next season, and Arráez is no longer on the team.
If Gilbert is the first man up against righties, the next question becomes who follows him. Devers ranked second on the club with 206 plate appearances batting second, and one possibility is Bryce Eldridge in the No. 2 spot. That would put two high-quality bats back-to-back.
There is the usual concern about stacking too many left-handed hitters in a row, since it can invite a lefty reliever later. But Eldridge gave the Giants a rare exception to that rule in 2026, standing out as one of the best left-on-left hitters in baseball.
In Other News...
Giants Offseason Flexibility Just Got A Lot Tighter Than Fans Realize
The Giants offseason plan already has a built-in complication, and it starts with the sheer volume of players who finished 2026 on the 60-day injured list. By the time the dust settled, the roster was carrying nearly 20 names on that list, leaving the front office with more than just lineup questions to answer as it looks ahead to 2027.
Seven veteran players are already under contract for next season, with a combined payroll commitment of about $152.9 million, and all of them were injured at the end of the year. Add in nine more players headed for salary arbitration, with projected salaries totaling $18.4 million, and the Giants are already approaching $171.3 million in commitments before even accounting for pre-arbitration players. For a club that needs flexibility, that leaves very little room to breathe. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Rotation Hunt Puts Buster Posey In A Tough Spot
The Giants have spent the early part of the offseason circling the same problem: a rotation that still needs a real upgrade if they want to be set for 2027. Reid Detmers, Michael Wacha and Bailey Ober all come up for different reasons, whether it is age, contract control or recent production, and each would give San Francisco a different kind of answer. What ties the group together is the same basic appeal for Buster Posey and the front office, since the Giants need someone who can stabilize the top end of the staff without forcing the rest of the pitching picture to keep carrying too much weight.
The catch is that this is not just about landing one name and moving on. San Franciscos pitching shortages have made usable depth almost as important as the headliner, and that narrows the lane on how aggressive the Giants can be in talks. Posey is being asked to balance upside, cost and fit all at once, which is why the target list feels useful but unfinished - the kind of winter puzzle where the real answer may depend on how far the Giants are willing to go once the asking price becomes clear. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Face One Offseason Shakeup That Could Reshape Their Bullpen
The Giants have already spent part of the winter sorting through their outfield depth, but the bigger roster pressure point may be on the mound, where the offseason is expected to bring a lot more movement. A number of pitchers were brought up late in the year or promoted from the minors, and that kind of churn usually forces a front office to decide which arms are part of the next wave and which ones are simply covering innings.
San Francisco also has several relievers headed toward arbitration, which puts added weight on every non-tender discussion and makes the bullpen picture even less settled. With turnover in pitching depth expected before next season begins, the Giants are staring at one of those winters where the roster can look noticeably different by the time camp opens. [Read more 🡒]