The Giants do not need this World Series to tell them how stars matter. They need it to show them what happens when the rest of the roster does its part.
That’s the lesson coming from Milwaukee and Tampa Bay as they head into Friday’s opener from different roster-building paths but with the same result: a pennant. The Brewers lean on a homegrown core.
The Rays keep finding impact talent through trades. Either way, the message for San Francisco is the same after a 65-97 season: the work has to go well beyond the headline names.
Buster Posey already has two players worth building around in Logan Webb and Rafael Devers. What the Giants need now is the kind of support that turns good pieces into a real club. That means strengthening the roster around the edges while also opening doors for younger players who can win jobs and stick.
Bryce Eldridge sits right in the middle of that plan. The Giants should keep pushing his development while also hunting for outside pitching help.
That means giving Eldridge regular work at first base and using Devers mostly at DH, while the front office searches for established arms through free agency and trades. Waiting around for young pitchers to sort themselves out would only delay a chance to improve the team right now.
Milwaukee and Tampa Bay both offer examples of how roster depth can be built with purpose. The Brewers’ homegrown group includes Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and Jacob Misiorowski.
The Rays have landed important pieces through trades, including Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, and Drew Rasmussen. Both teams have stars, but they’re getting value from different corners of the roster-building process.
San Francisco also has to address very specific holes. Tampa Bay’s trade-deadline addition of Liam Hicks bolstered its catching.
The Giants should take that same targeted approach to the outfield, where the roster needs players with complementary skills. A right-handed addition would help against left-handed pitching and still leave room for internal options like Bo Davidson.
The work doesn’t stop once a player arrives, either. Bryan Baker came to Tampa Bay in 2025 with three career saves; by 2026, he had 41. That kind of development gave the Rays a closer without forcing them to go out and buy one.
That’s why the Giants’ relief plan needs more than just names. Evaluators and coaches should be aligned on a clear development path for every bullpen target, including how he should be used and which situations fit him best.
Milwaukee shows the value of building a bullpen around several answers, not just one. Aaron Ashby can handle multiple innings.
Abner Uribe posted a 1.97 regular-season ERA. Trevor Megill takes the ninth.
Tampa Bay, meanwhile, got reliable rotation work from Nick Martinez after he signed a one-year deal; his 2026 line includes a 3.10 ERA.
For San Francisco, those examples point to two linked goals: get dependable innings from the rotation and build a bullpen that can survive an early exit from a starter. The Giants should add two established starters alongside Webb and Landen Roupp, then go after at least two relievers who can handle heavy late-inning work.
Matt Wilkinson should get a real chance to compete for a rotation spot. Other internal starting options could also provide depth or multi-inning relief help. Spring training should settle the roles, but the offseason has to leave enough coverage in place so one setback doesn’t blow up the staff.
Defense has to be part of that thinking, too. Turang delivered 16 outs above average at second base in 2026. Tampa Bay’s continued use of Taylor Walls at shortstop shows a team willing to keep a regular role for a defender it values.
That’s the kind of choice San Francisco should be making as well. When healthy versions of Marcelo Mayer and Casey Schmitt compete at second base, the Giants need to weigh range and clean execution along with everything else.
They also need a center field answer they can trust behind Harrison Bader, with Jonah Cox in the mix for that job. Having someone who can handle center gives the manager more flexibility than carrying another corner bat who doesn’t really solve anything.
The path forward for the Giants should be clear from there. Spend on dependable innings, define the defensive jobs, and build a bench that brings different tools to the table. That’s how this roster gets from individual production to actual wins.
In Other News...
Giants Linked To An Outfielder Who Checks Nearly Every Box
Steven Kwan is heading into the final season of his contract with the Guardians, and that always puts a player on the radar for teams that like to get out ahead of free agency. Cleveland has a history of moving players before they reach the open market to recoup value, and Kwan fits the profile of someone who could draw real interest. For the Giants, the appeal is easy to understand: he brings speed, contact skill and strong defense, the kind of well-rounded outfielder who can help in more than one way.
The local angle only adds to the intrigue. Kwan has Bay Area ties, and San Francisco has not shied away from bringing in players with a connection to home, especially when the fit on the field is there too. Any actual deal would have to make sense financially and on the roster-building side, but the idea of Kwan in orange and black has enough logic behind it to keep the conversation going, even if nothing is close just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Have A World Series Tie Most Fans Probably Missed
There is a quiet little World Series connection hanging over the Giants even before the Fall Classic is decided. Austin Slater, who once suited up for San Francisco, logged seven games for the Rays this season, which puts him in line for a championship ring if Tampa Bay finishes the job. It is the kind of footnote that usually gets lost in October, but it is part of the strange way postseason rosters can create unlikely ties across clubs.
The thread gets even more interesting through the draft. Doug Waechter, a former big leaguer and now a Rays broadcaster, is the father of Kaden Waechter, whom the Giants grabbed in the second round of the 2026 draft. Kaden Waechter signed with San Francisco after taking a $3.2 million bonus to pass on his college commitment, giving the Giants a fresh prospect with a family link to one of their potential World Series opponents. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Offseason Pitching Plan Comes Down To One Crucial Choice
The Giants are heading into a compressed offseason with one of the sharper reminders that time may be short once the market opens. With the next labor deal set to expire and a lockout looming, front offices across the league could be forced to move quickly, and for San Francisco that means sorting through a pitching plan that is likely to be shaped more by practicality than wishful thinking.
Tarik Skubal would be the dream, but the cost would be enormous, and Kevin Gausman stands out as a far more realistic target if the Giants decide to chase a familiar arm. Adrian Morejon, meanwhile, looks like the kind of expensive bullpen bet that does not line up especially well with the clubs needs, which is why the safer path appears to be a search for more affordable, sensible relief help instead of one big splash. [Read more 🡒]